ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A spokesperson for St. Johns County School District told News4Jax on Thursday that a student tested positive for COVID-19 at Ponte Vedra High School.
It’s believed to be the first case since classes at St. Johns County public schools resumed Monday. The health department has advised 31 other students that they should be quarantined for 14-days, the spokesperson said.
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The district has said it will work closely with the county’s health department to notify parents quickly should someone in the child’s class contract the virus. The school district says parents will be told if anyone in their child’s class is infected, regardless of the exposure level.
Melissa Kledzik, director of school health services, explained earlier in the week how the process will be conducted.
“Those students that potentially may have been close will be notified by the Department of Health if they are considered close contacts. We will notify the entire class that there was a positive case in the classroom, but there will not be any recommendations for those who did not have any close personal contact,” Kledzik said.
She said anyone who was exposed, which is any student who was within 6-feet of the infected person for 15 minutes or longer, will be asked to quarantine. Kledzik said the district will not require the exposed student to be tested, but he or she will have to quarantine for 14 days from the date of his or her contact with the positive person.
Kledzik also explained that parents are required to fill out a student health questionnaire each morning before their child arrives at school.
“It asks parents to assess their child for any symptoms of a new onset illness. Additionally, it asks if your child has been in contact with anyone who has tested positive or if anyone in your house is sick with any symptoms,” she explained.