5 Reading High Schoolers, 1 Staffer Test Positive For Coronavirus

READING, MA — Thirty high school students are in quarantine after being identified as close contacts of five high schoolers who tested positive for the coronavirus, Superintendent John Doherty said.

Four of the students were remote last week; however, 28 students were in close contact with them, Doherty said. The fifth student was in school last week. A staff member and two students were in close contact and are also quarantining.

A high school employee who was remote last week also tested positive for the virus. No in-school contacts were found.

Additionally, two remote students at Parker Middle School and one staff member in the Extended Day program at Birch Meadow tested positive for the coronavirus. As a result of the latter case, 22 students and three staff members are quarantining, Doherty said.

"All of these cases are from outside contacts and not through in-school transmission," Doherty said Sunday.