From The Tribune staff reports
CLAY — Clay Elementary School has been hit by a surge in COVID-19 cases, according to a Facebook post from the
“Our school is experiencing a large increase in the number of positive cases and close contact cases related to COVID-19,” the post states. “We have reported this to the Jefferson County Health Department based on our guidelines as an outbreak.”
According to the Jefferson County Board of Education’s 2021 COVID Response plan published HERE, Clay Elementary is now at Step One of its response protocols, which means that 10-15% of the school population has either tested positive — or come into close contact with someone who has tested positive — for COVID-19 at the school.
According to the BOE’s plan, if the school meets the 15% threshold, students and staff at the school will be required to wear masks.
The Jefferson County School System has not mandated masks in its schools, instead it “strongly recommends” them.
The school is urging parents to abide by the guidelines it set earlier this year regarding quarantine and contact tracing.
“Also parents, if you have been contacted by the school regarding your child being exposed, please adhere to the exclusion guidelines,” the post states. “Students that are directly exposed to a positive case MAY NOT return to school until the date given by Nurse Jimmi (Amick). If your child was sent home with COVID symptoms, they MAY NOT return to school until the date provided by Nurse Jimmi unless they have a proper doctor’s excuse that clears them to return.”
Alabama had 50 children hospitalized with Covid-19 across the state as of Thursday, a new pandemic record and a significant increase from the nine hospitalized on July 15, according to ADPH data shared with the Alabama Political Reporter.