ENFIELD — Superintendent Amanda Isabelle reports that two teachers have been advised by state health officials to quarantine as a precaution related to the worldwide COVID-19 outbreak. The two teachers are believed to have come into contact with a person who tested positive for the virus while attending church on March 1.
Neither teacher is symptomatic and the self-quarantine is being done out of an abundance of caution in accordance with New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (NH DHHS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protocol.
All Mascoma Valley schools are operating normally, in accordance with public health guidelines. However, general advice nationwide at this time is that if employees or students display symptoms of COVID-19, including a fever, cough or shortness of breath, they should not come to work or school.
Superintendent Isabelle was notified yesterday evening of the two teachers’ possible exposure, which occurred last Sunday. Neither the CDC nor DHHS have notified any other members of the Mascoma community of the need to self-quarantine.
“We are working closely with state and local health officials to ensure we’re taking all the steps necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19 through our school community,” Superintendent Isabelle. “These self-quarantining individuals are doing so out of the utmost level of caution, and we’re closely monitoring this situation.”
According to the CDC, symptoms of the virus appear within 2-14 days of exposure. The DPH reports that symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, shortness of breath and pneumonia in severe cases. The affected educators will remain in self-quarantine for 14 days following their exposure to the virus as long as they remain asymptomatic. The two teachers will be eligible to return to work on Monday, March 16.
Each school building undergoes rigorous cleaning daily to ensure that commonly touched surfaces are disinfected and to minimize the risk germs spreading.
Local, State and Federal Health officials are encouraging residents to take the following precautions to prevent infectious diseases, such as the flu and COVID-19, from spreading:
- Wash hands frequently, with soap and water, for a minimum of 20 seconds.
- When sick yourself, stay home to protect others.
- Always cover your cough or sneeze.
For more information, visit the NH DHHS website by clicking here and the CDC’s website by clicking here.
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