Seventy-seven students at the Mid-Prairie School District are quarantining at home after COVID-19 contact tracing results from Washington County Public Health recommended they do so. As of Wednesday, 77 students and four staff members are in quarantine after coming in contact with a person confirmed to have COVID-19. All of those in quarantine will be at home for two weeks. 

 

According to the district, as of Wednesday two students and zero staff have tested positive for COVID-19. Superintendent Mark Schneider explains the procedures taken when a student is sent home to quarantine, “If we’re notified by public health that a student needs to be quarantined obviously the student is taken out of class, they’re isolated, parents are called, and the parent comes and gets the student. Under quarantine, we want them to continue to do school work. So, the teachers of their classes are then responsible for making sure they get work, are responsible for touching base, and are responsible if they need anything that we can get them whatever materials they need.” 

 

The district will provide daily updates on the number of positive cases among students and staff and the number of students who are absent due to quarantine or other illnesses. Mid-Prairie students and staff are required to wear a face covering at school. 

 

According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, as of Wednesday Washington County’s 14-day COVID-19 positivity rate was 4.7%. Area counties’ rates from highest to lowest include Johnson County at 23.8%, Henry County at 11.9%, Keokuk County at 10.1%, Louisa County at 6.2%, Jefferson County at 5.8%, and Iowa County at 3.5%.