40 new COVID cases involving Henrico schools reported

Public schools in Henrico County reported 40 new COVID-19 cases among people associated with schools between Saturday and Monday. Nineteen of the new cases occurred in connection with elementary schools, six in connection with middle schools and 15 with high schools.

The high school cases resulted in 30 identified close contacts, while the middle school cases resulted in seven such contacts and the elementary schools cases just four.

In total, schools now have reported 99 known COVID-19 cases since Aug. 27, resulting in 231 close contacts. Two outbreaks (occurrences of two of more related cases) have been reported – both at Henrico High School, which has reported the most cases (19) and associated close contacts (90) among public schools in the county since that date. Those totals include three new cases and 21 related close contacts reported Monday.

Pocahontas Middle School has experienced seven total cases resulting in 14 identified close contacts, while Skipwith Elementary has witnessed six cases resulting in 11 close-contact designations.

Last week, the school system announced that it was shortening from 14 days to 10 days the length of required quarantines for unvaccinated people who have experienced a close contact with a COVID-infected person, per Centers for Disease Control guidance. That time may be shortened further – to eight days – if the close contact tests negative with a PCR or rapid test five days or more after the exposure, per Virginia Department of Health guidance.

Another change implemented by the school system outlines that people who are masked properly and more than three feet away from a COVID-infected person no longer are being considered close contacts.

People who are vaccinated and who have been exposed to a known COVID case generally do not have to quarantine but are advised to get tested three to five days after exposure.

The Citizen is tracking all reported COVID-19 cases involving Henrico schools here.