ADVERTISEMENT

Over 600 students in quarantine in Iowa City schools

cigaretteman

HR King
May 29, 2001
77,133
58,316
113
Over 600 students in the Iowa City Community School District are in quarantine and 11 classrooms are closed because of exposure to the coronavirus as of Wednesday morning.


Of those students, 127 are currently positive for COVID-19. Five staff have also tested positive and 16 are in quarantine.


When a classroom is closed, students continue learning virtually for two weeks until they can return to in-person learning.


The largest number of students in quarantine is at Northwest Junior High where 253 students are in quarantine and less than 10 have tested positive.


About 700 students attend Northwest Junior High in Coralville.


City High School has the second largest number with 99 students in quarantine and 18 who have tested positive.


The next highest number of students in quarantine is at Lucas Elementary School, which has 43 students in quarantine and less than 10 who have tested positive.


Other schools with more than 10 students in quarantine are Borlaug Elementary School, Coralville Central Elementary School, Garner Elementary School, Horn Elementary School, Lemme Elementary School, Liberty High School, Longfellow Elementary School, South East Junior High School, Weber Elementary School and West High School.


Iowa City schools are following quarantine guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Students in close contact with a positive COVID-19 case, even if both people were properly wearing a mask, will be quarantined.


The district is also continuing with its 14-day quarantine guideline for students and staff exposed to COVID-19. The CDC released new guidance earlier this year that allows for reducing the number of days from 14 to 10.


The district has been struggling curb the spread of COVID-19 after over 100 students were quarantined at Northwest Junior High the first week of March.


In an email to families March 3, Northwest Principal Elizabeth Bruening said four students and a staff member tested positive for COVID-19 and were contagious while at school.


Earlier this year, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law Senate File 160, which required K-12 school to offer 100 percent in-person learning starting Feb. 15.


Since then, district officials have expressed concern about quarantining a larger number of students now that they are required to offer 100 percent in-person learning.


Until then, the district had been offering students the choice between hybrid learning, split between A and B days in-person and virtual, and online-only learning.

 
Why make all of them wear masks if you have to quarantine even if you are wearing a mask?
 
Why make all of them wear masks if you have to quarantine even if you are wearing a mask?
Good question. Here is the explanation from the CDC. Masks and PPE count if a healthcare person is wearing them though.

Correct and consistent mask use is a critical step that people can take to protect themselves and others from COVID-19. However, the type of masks used, and whether or not they are used consistently and correctly varies throughout the general population. Therefore, mask use is not considered when determining COVID-19 exposure and the definition of a close contact during case investigation and contact tracing, regardless of whether the person diagnosed with and/or the person exposed to COVID-19 was wearing a mask. (Note: Exposure risk in the healthcare setting is determined separately and outlined in CDC guidance).
 
  • Like
Reactions: hawkeyekid
975 in quarantine according to the district's dashboard......1000 kids out of school for 52 positive cases.

That feels excessive. I think it's time for the ICCSD to update their quarantine policy as it seems to be doing more harm than good..
 
975 in quarantine according to the district's dashboard......1000 kids out of school for 52 positive cases.

That feels excessive. I think it's time for the ICCSD to update their quarantine policy as it seems to be doing more harm than good..
Feels like it is just their way around the 100% requirement. Oops, need to quarantine, go home and learn online.
 
ADVERTISEMENT