Two more Festus R-6 students have tested positive for COVID-19. The students are siblings, Superintendent Link Luttrell said in an email sent to parents on Wednesday (Aug. 27).
Both students – one enrolled at Festus Elementary and the other at Festus High School – were last on campus Monday (Aug. 24), which was the first day of classes for the district, according to the email.
“Individuals who were within 6 feet of either student for more than 15 minutes, which are guidelines administered by the Jefferson County Health Department, in alignment with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are being contacted directly by the R-6 District and will not be returning for the duration of the quarantine period," Luttrell said.
The quarantine period typically is two weeks from the date of contact, district spokesman Kevin Pope said today (Aug. 27). However, that period may vary if additional symptoms arise, he said.
Luttrell’s email also said that “unless you hear from the R-6 District or the Jefferson County Health Department, there is no need for you or your family to do any type of isolation or quarantine.”
The district announced Aug. 13 that a Festus High student who had been participating in practices for a fall sport had tested positive for COVID-19.
Luttrell said the district is taking all the precautions it can to protect students and staff from the spread of the virus.
“As superintendent, I still feel the protocols and procedures implemented within our ‘R-6 ReEntry Plan’ have been successful in lowering risk levels for our students and staff,” Luttrell said. “Layers of preventive strategies such as required facial coverings; assigned seating; ongoing hand sanitizing; morning temperature checks; self screenings; sanitizing of the school facility at various times of each school day along with a deep disinfecting each night; and even disinfecting our buses after each route have all been embraced by our students and staff. I can assure you that our staff and students want to keep our schools open. Yet, despite layers of prevention, a level of risk always is present.”
Pope said the district has an enrollment of about 2,530 students and is aware of just the three students who have tested positive for COVID-19.
He said he did not have updates on the health of those students.
