In the state of Georgia, two suburban Atlanta school districts that began in-person classes Monday with mask-optional policies. The day after school resumed, one school announced a second-grader tested positive for the coronavirus, forcing the child’s teacher and classmates to be sent home to quarantine for two weeks, CBS News reports.
According to school officials, the student attended class on Monday. On Tuesday, Principal Ashley Kennerly sent parents the following letter:
“I am writing this letter in order to communicate that a student in 2nd grade has tested positive for COVID-19. All students who have been deemed a “close contact” received a personalized correspondence from school. In an abundance of caution and in accordance with our Exposure and Response Plan, we will close the impacted class effective immediately for a 14-day quarantine window.”
The classroom of 20 students is now under a two-week quarantine. The class is also undergoing a deep clean, according to the report.
“The teacher, who is symptom-free, will teach the class online from home through our Canvas learning management system,” said a spokesperson for the school district.
In Cherokee County, dozens of seniors gathered at two of the district’s six high schools to take traditional first-day-of-school senior photos, with students squeezing together in black outfits. No one in pictures at Sequoyah High School in Hickory Flat or Etowah High School in Woodstock wore a mask.
Georgia hit a new weekly high for COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday, having averaged 51 confirmed deaths from the respiratory illness over the last seven days.
