Where COVID-19 Cases Stand In Heights Schools After 1 Week

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH — After one week of school, there are seven COVID-19 cases among Heights Schools students and staff, the district reported.

Ohio has seen a marked uptick in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations over the past two months as the delta variant spreads through the Buckeye State. Officials have urged schools to adopt mask policies and all Ohioans to get vaccinated, if possible.

The Heights Schools require everyone inside a district building to wear a face mask, regardless of their vaccination status. The district also encourages all eligible people to get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible.

After one week of school, there was one reported case of COVID-19 among staff and six cases among students. One of the infected students had not been in a school building or on campus. The other was last in a building on Wednesday, and additional cleaning of any space they were in was ordered by the district.

Students who had close contact with the student have been contacted by the school nurse and informed of the proper protocols, the district said.

The lone infected staffer was a grounds crew worker who had no close contact with any students or other employees, the district reported.

Here are the district's other plans to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within the district:

• Physical barriers will be placed in eating areas, since students cannot wear masks while eating. Should a staff member or parent have special needs and want a barrier at their desk, or their child's desk, they can contact their building supervisor or building principal. Choir and band classes may continue to use barriers due to the special nature of their performances.
• Buildings, classrooms, bathrooms, buses and any other areas with high-touch frequency will be cleaned thoroughly throughout the day.
• Portable air filters will be in each elementary school classroom.
• The district's HVAC settings are aligned with CDC recommendations to bring in as much outdoor air as possible.
• Staff and students should conduct health assessments on themselves before coming to school each day. If they have any sign of illness, they should stay home and contact a doctor.
• Hand sanitizer will be available throughout all school buildings, in classrooms and on school buses.
• Time for hand washing will be built into each day.
• If a student tests positive for COVID-19, parents should contact the school district as soon as possible. Staff must report their own cases to supervisors. The school nurse and the COVID-19 investigation team will then conduct contact tracing to see who may have been exposed.