COVID-19 CASES IN BALDWIN SCHOOLS

All COVID-19 cases reported to Baldwin Schools will be listed here.

Upon being notified of a positive case of COVID-19 relating to our schools or worksites, Baldwin Schools will:

• Isolate individuals, if present on campus.
• Consult with Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health (LDCPH).
  • LDCPH or other public health officials will order isolation of the infected person for 10 days after symptom onset (or specimen collection for asymptomatic cases) with symptoms improving and fever-free for 72 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
  • Cases admitted to the Intensive Care Unit are required to isolate 20 days from symptom onset.
• Close, and thoroughly clean and disinfect any affected areas.
• Conduct contact tracing within Baldwin Schools to identify “close contacts.”
  • All schools are mandated infectious disease reporters, so they can provide lists of contacts to public health officials without parental or patient consent.
  • Close contact is defined as within 6 ft. for longer than 10 minutes (in a 24-hour period) of a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case OR contact with the respiratory particles (e.g. sneezed/coughed on, kissing, sharing of utensils, etc.) of the individual with COVID-19.
  • Individuals are not considered a close contact or at high risk for exposure unless contacted by the school or public health officials.
  • Individuals who maintained 6 ft. of distance will not be considered a close contact.
• Work with LDCPH to notify close contacts of mandatory quarantine.
  • Quarantine applies to those who were exposed to prevent ongoing transmission of the disease.
  • The length of quarantine is 10 days following the last potential exposure to a suspected or positive case.
  • Only close contacts are placed in quarantine (i.e. A classmate of a student with a positive case is a direct contact; the classmate’s siblings and parents are secondary contacts.)
    • Quarantine means staying home for the 10 day quarantine period or testing each school day for the 10 day quarantine period with parental permission. During that period it is highly encouraged to wear a mask and continue social distancing from others. Close contacts should continue practicing everyday healthy habits, such as hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, refraining from sharing household items, and cleaning and disinfecting items and surfaces. These measures will help protect them and the people around them.
  • If the individual has not developed symptoms by the end of the 10 days, they may end quarantine. 
  • The symptoms of COVID-19 may include a new or atypical cough, difficulty breathing, loss of taste/smell, fever ≥100.4, chills, congestion/runny nose, sore throat, headache, nausea/vomiting/diarrhea, or muscle or body aches. If the individual develops these symptoms, they should call their health care provider or LDCPH to let them know they are self-quarantined and to report their symptoms prior to seeking care.

• The antigen rapid test is typically given to someone that is having COVID-19 symptoms or has been exposed to a positive case. The antigen test is not as reliable as the PCR test. The PCR test is a molecular test that is the most accurate and usually takes 24-72 hours for results.
• If someone has a positive antigen test and isn’t having COVID-19 symptoms, the health department suggests that they get a PCR test. If the PCR test comes back negative, and if the person is still asymptomatic, they are not a positive case. 

Please refer to the district’s COVID-19 Prevention Measures on our website for further information.

The following COVID-19 cases have been reported to Baldwin Schools.