A week after a student tested positive, a second case of coronavirus has been confirmed at Saucon Valley High School, district superintendent Dr. Craig Butler announced in an email to parents Friday.
In his email, Butler said the district was notified Friday morning of the positive test result “involving a faculty member” at the school, which is located in Lower Saucon Township.
“School leadership is currently working with the Department of Health for guidance,” Butler said. “The classrooms and spaces used by the individual will be cleaned and disinfected according to CDC guidelines.”
Staff members and students who may have come in close contact (which is defined by the Pennsylvania Department of Health as within six feet of an infected individual for more than 15 minutes) with the individual will be contacted by school district staff and given instructions to self-quarantine, he said.
Butler added that anyone who is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 such as a fever above 100.4 degrees, a dry cough, shortness of breath, a sore throat, muscle aches, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, chills and/or the temporary loss of smell and/or taste should contact their health care provider to discuss the need for testing.
Parents and students are also encouraged to do the following to help prevent the spread of illness at home and in school:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Wash your hands frequently.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your mouth and nose with the inside of your elbow when you cough and sneeze.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Practice social distancing and wear a mask.
“We will provide updates and will continue to use our communication systems to keep families and staff informed,” Butler said. “Please know the health and safety of our students and staff is our utmost priority.”
Parents with additional questions or concerns are being instructed to contact their child’s school nurse.
In some cases that have involved multiple positive test results from within the same school, other local districts have recently opted to temporarily close school buildings in order to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
Saucon Valley has so far not announced any plans to suspend in-class instruction, which is taking place five days a week for about 80 percent of the district’s students.