- July 26, 2024
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Over the first week of classes at Flagler Schools, three district staff members and four students tested positive for COVID-19, and 47 people were told to quarantine due to possible exposure.
The district notified parents and staff of a positive case at Matanzas High School on the very first day of school, Aug. 24.
The letter sent to parents stated, “It has been reported to us that a staff member at Matanzas High School has tested positive for COVID-19. The Flagler County Health Department will be notified and conduct contact tracing to determine who has been in close contact with this individual. The Department of Health will notify you if it is determined your child qualifies as being in close contact and needs to quarantine.”
The health department defines “close contact” as being within 6 feet of an infected person for 15 minutes or more, starting two days before the person became ill (or, in the case of people who are asymptomatic, two days before the positive specimen was collected).
The letter adds, “The District is working with the Department of Health to monitor for any additional cases. The District’s custodial department has enhanced its cleaning procedures to ensure continual deep cleaning is occurring to assist in proactively preventing the spread of any illness. All areas used by the infected individual will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.”
Overall during the first week, one Matanzas High School staff member, two Flagler Palm Coast High School students, one Bunnell Elementary staff member, one Old Kings Elementary staff member, and two Old Kings students tested positive, according to district spokesman Jason Wheeler.
In addition to the people who tested positive, 28 people from Old Kings have been instructed to quarantine, as have 16 from Bunnell Elementary and three from FPC.
As of Sept. 1, there had been two additional positive cases since the previous week: One plant services staff member tested positive, as did a student at Matanzas High School. One other Matanzas student was instructed to quarantine.
