An increase in positive COVID-19 cases has caused the Barre Union Unified School District to bring back daily health screenings. Currently, there are almost 100 positive COVID-19 cases among students and adults in the district. Superintendent Chris Hennessey said he is hoping these daily health screenings will help stop the spread.“Despite us communicating out that really kids shouldn’t be in the school with symptoms- parents were still sending kids in,” said Jennifer Lyon, COVID-19 Coordinator and Spaulding High School nurse.Every day in the Barre Unified Union School District, school nurses are seeing around ten kids experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.”We’re having to make phone calls to get kids out of the building who are symptomatic. And it’s taking away from the rest of the work we really need to be doing, in our jobs, without COVID. So we’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed,” Lyon said.To help alleviate that stress and to help stop the spread of COVID-19, BUUSD is bringing back daily health screenings for all students in the district even though a vast majority of positive cases are among pre-K students through eighth-graders.“At the elementary level, the vast majority of students aren’t eligible for vaccination. It has a much bigger impact when we’re doing the close contact list, many more kids are needing to quarantine,” Hennessey said.Lyon said what is happening outside of school doors could also be having an impact on positive cases.“We’re not seeing people wearing masks as much, here at school obviously they’re wearing masks, but when they’re out in the community it kind of feels like COVID isn’t an issue anymore when really it especially is for younger kids because they can’t get vaccinated,” she said.Now, students will be asked if they’re experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms before getting on the bus, or before entering school buildings. They’ll also be asked if they’ve been in contact with anyone who has recently tested positive for COVID-19.“Unfortunately we’re having a significant number of kids who are coming in with symptoms. And we’re trying to head that off. So that we’re not having anybody who could possibly be contagious in the schools. It’s a tough thing but we think it’s going to have an impact,” Hennessey said. With this new screening, the district was already able to stop a few kids from coming into school while showing COVID-19 symptoms. Hennessey anticipates vaccination approval for kids ages 5-11 could help get things under control. For now, the screenings will remain in place.
An increase in positive COVID-19 cases has caused the Barre Union Unified School District to bring back daily health screenings. Currently, there are almost 100 positive COVID-19 cases among students and adults in the district. Superintendent Chris Hennessey said he is hoping these daily health screenings will help stop the spread.
“Despite us communicating out that really kids shouldn’t be in the school with symptoms- parents were still sending kids in,” said Jennifer Lyon, COVID-19 Coordinator and Spaulding High School nurse.
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Every day in the Barre Unified Union School District, school nurses are seeing around ten kids experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
”We’re having to make phone calls to get kids out of the building who are symptomatic. And it’s taking away from the rest of the work we really need to be doing, in our jobs, without COVID. So we’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed,” Lyon said.
To help alleviate that stress and to help stop the spread of COVID-19, BUUSD is bringing back daily health screenings for all students in the district even though a vast majority of positive cases are among pre-K students through eighth-graders.
“At the elementary level, the vast majority of students aren’t eligible for vaccination. It has a much bigger impact when we’re doing the close contact list, many more kids are needing to quarantine,” Hennessey said.
Lyon said what is happening outside of school doors could also be having an impact on positive cases.
“We’re not seeing people wearing masks as much, here at school obviously they’re wearing masks, but when they’re out in the community it kind of feels like COVID isn’t an issue anymore when really it especially is for younger kids because they can’t get vaccinated,” she said.
Now, students will be asked if they’re experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms before getting on the bus, or before entering school buildings. They’ll also be asked if they’ve been in contact with anyone who has recently tested positive for COVID-19.
“Unfortunately we’re having a significant number of kids who are coming in with symptoms. And we’re trying to head that off. So that we’re not having anybody who could possibly be contagious in the schools. It’s a tough thing but we think it’s going to have an impact,” Hennessey said.
With this new screening, the district was already able to stop a few kids from coming into school while showing COVID-19 symptoms. Hennessey anticipates vaccination approval for kids ages 5-11 could help get things under control. For now, the screenings will remain in place.