Breckenridge Texan

BISD advises that South Elementary employee may have been exposed to COVID-19

BISD advises that South Elementary employee may have been exposed to COVID-19
April 10
13:17 2020

Breckenridge Independent School district notified parents of South Elementary students on Thursday, April 9,  that a school district employee who handed out student work packets at South Elementary on Monday, April 6, was potentially exposed to the coronavirus during a doctor visit on April 2.  The information was posted on school district Facebook pages on Friday, April 10.

According to Interim Superintendent Earl Jarrett, the employee in question visited the doctor on April 2 for reasons unrelated to COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. On Monday, she worked at South Elementary, handing out instruction packets to parents. Two days after the packets were passed out, the employee received notification from her doctor informing her that she had possibly been exposed to the coronavirus and should be tested.

BISD administration became aware of the situation on Thursday, April 9, at approximately 3:45 p.m., Jarrett said. At that time, the employee believed she might have symptoms of COVID-19.

The administration communicated the potential risk to South Elementary parents and students, so that they can self-monitor for symptoms and take necessary precautions to prevent passing it along to anyone else, in case they were exposed to the virusJarrett said that when she was handing out the packets, the employee wore a mask and protective gloves, as did the other school employees.

The employee is now quarantined and has been tested for COVID-19.

“We’ll release (more information) when we find out if the test is positive or negative,” Jarrett said Friday afternoon. “We’re trying to make plans between now and Monday on what’s the best way to continue to provide instruction at that campus.”

In order to protect the privacy of the employee and to comply with federal laws, Jarrett said he cannot provide more information about the employee.

“We appreciate your understanding of the district’s desire to comply with federal HIPPA requirements by not releasing the identity of the employee,” Jarrett said in a statement posted online. “A plan is being created in the attempt to mitigate any additional risk at future packet distributions. Once the plan is complete it will be posted so you will be aware of the precautions the district is taking.”

On Monday, the schools will hand out one week of instruction, and the next Monday, they will start giving instruction for three weeks at a time. For more details on the district’s plans, visit the individual schools’ Facebook pages and the district’s Coronavirus Updates website page.

“Breckenridge ISD recognizes the seriousness of this situation. Every effort has been made to keep the employees, students, and their families safe during this crisis. We will continue to do so in the future,” Jarrett said in the written statement.

Story by Tony Pilkington and Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan

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