No In-School COVID-19 Transmission In Reading, District Says

READING, MA — Four more students and one staff member in the Reading Public Schools have tested positive for the coronavirus in recent days. But despite frequent reported cases, none so far have been transmitted in school, Superintendent John Doherty said.

"We would also like to emphasize that none of the positive cases thus far have been transmitted in school," Doherty said Monday. "We want to thank our students, staff, and administrators for creating and establishing a safe and healthy learning environment in our schools."

Three of the students who tested positive for the virus are in different grades at the Coolidge Middle School and were all remote last week, Doherty said. The staff member also works at Coolidge.

Everyone in that staffer's teaching team was remote last Wednesday as a precaution. The district identified all students and staff who were potentially in close contact with the staff member.

The fourth student, who attends Killam Elementary School, was in person last Wednesday. The student was not considered an exposure due to being more than two days from an asymptomatic test.

The impacted classrooms and spaces at Coolidge and Killam were disinfected and cleaned last Wednesday as part of the district's regular extensive misting disinfection and were not used for more than 72 hours.

Below is the district's protocol when a student or staff member tests positive:

• A staff member contacts the principal if they have a positive COVID test. Director of Nurses Mary Giuliana finds out about a positive student or family test through the town public health database.
• If it's a student, Giuliana calls the family and then calls the principal. The principal calls the teacher of the student and get a list of adults who were with the class.
• If it's a staff member, Giuliana or the principal talks with the staff member and get the names of all individuals who they believe to be close contacts during the infectious period.
• The principal, director of nurses, and school nurse create a list of contacts, and they begin to call people.
• When calling a staff member, the district asks if they believe they were a close contact (based on the definition) and also ask them if they know anyone else who was in the room or with the COVID positive staff member at that time. This includes special education staff, specialists, para-educators, or other staff. The district makes a list of people who may have been close contacts.
• The principal, director of nurses and school nurse call until they have reached everyone on the list.
• During the communication process, the superintendent is notified and creates a district wide notification that is sent out. The notification is as specific as possible without violating HIPPA rights.