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Henrico County Public Schools reported 80 new COVID-19 cases in its buildings last week, up from the previous week’s 55 new reported cases.
Since Sept. 1, HCPS has reported 1,174 cases among students and staff — 614 in elementary schools, 242 in middle schools, 297 in high schools and 21 in various annexes. There are about 48,000 in-person students and about 7,000 staff members in HCPS, according to the most recent estimates provided by the school district.
In elementary schools, 42 new positive cases and 219 exposures were reported last week. The highest number of exposures, 39, occurred at Glen Lea Elementary, where four cases were reported in the week.
In the division’s 12 middle schools, 15 positive cases and 129 exposures were reported last week. At Hungary Creek Middle, nine cases resulted in 30 exposures, and at Brookland Middle, two cases resulted in 78 exposures.
County high schools reported 22 cases and 186 close contacts last week. The highest number of cases and exposures happened at Godwin High, where five cases resulted in 127 close contacts.
There was one case reported in the transportation department, and no close contacts were reported as associated with the case.
A close contact is considered an instance in which a person is within six feet of someone infected with COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more during a 24-hour period. There is one exception for student-to-student exposures: if a student is three feet or farther away from a COVID-19 infected student, and both students are wearing masks, that is not considered a close contact.
When a student or staff member of HCPS has close contact with an infected person, they must quarantine for 10 days. But if he or she tests negative five to seven days after the exposure and has no symptoms, the person can return to school eight days after the exposure.
Vaccinated people generally do not need to quarantine, although it is still recommended that they get tested for COVID-19.
HCPS, in partnership with the Richmond Henrico Health Districts, has hosted two pediatric vaccination events.
On Saturday, 52 children ages 5-11 received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at a clinic Elko Middle, according to RHHD spokeswoman Catherine Long.
Since pediatric COVID-19 vaccines for 5-11 year-olds became available locally Nov. 4, more than 5,500 Henrico children under 11 have received one dose, according to the Virginia Department of Health vaccine dashboard.
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Anna Bryson is the Henrico Citizen’s education reporter and a Report for America corps member. Make a tax-deductible donation to support her work, and RFA will match it dollar for dollar.
