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For the second consecutive week, Henrico County Public Schools has reported a decline in the weekly number of new school-related COVID-19 cases.
There were 73 total cases reported among students and staff last week with 42 in elementary schools, 11 in middle schools, 19 in high schools and one in the facilities annex. The week prior, there were 91 new cases reported and two weeks ago, there were 109 cases reported in the week.
There were 398 close contacts reported — 150 in elementary schools, 81 in middle schools, 165 in high schools and two in the facilities annex.
Since Sept. 1, 852 school-related cases have been reported by HCPS. 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.
The HCPS COVID-19 dashboard was updated Monday to include last week's data, but was corrected Wednesday after the Citizen asked about minor discrepancies in the data on Monday. A similar situation occurred last week.
In elementary schools, last week’s 42 cases resulted in 150 close contacts, otherwise known as exposures. Pemberton Elementary’s five cases resulted in 35 exposures and Sandston Elementary’s two cases resulted in 24 exposures. For students, an exposure is defined as being within 3 feet of a person who is COVID positive for 15 minutes or more, over a 24 hour time period. For those not wearing a well-fitted mask, being within 6 feet for the same time period is also considered close contact.
Henrico’s middle schools reported 11 cases this week, down from 22 last week, and 81 close contacts resulting from those cases.
High schools reported 19 positive cases last week resulting in 165 exposures. The most close contacts were at the Advanced Career Education Center at Highland Springs with 65 exposures and Varina High School, which reported 36 close contacts last week.
At the secondary level and for staff, exposures don’t necessarily mean quarantines because vaccinated people generally don’t have to stay home from school if they are exposed to COVID-19.
At last week’s Henrico School Board meeting, Chief of Staff Beth Teigen announced that at-home COVID-19 test kits will be available in schools no later than Wednesday to send home with students or staff who are either showing symptoms or exposed to COVID-19. This program aims to reduce the amount of time students are out of school due to quarantine as a result of exhibiting symptoms or being exposed to someone infected with COVID-19.
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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.
