Superintendent Weekly Press Release December 11, 2020
Dear Cedar Bluffs Families,
COVID RISK LEVEL: ORANGE
For the Week of December 14th, the COVID risk dial moves back toward RED landing at 3.43 after having been at 3.14 last week. While Dodge county stayed steady at 3.14, both Saunders and Washington counties increased from the 3.14 to 3.43 for Saunders and 3.29 for Washington. We are being told that we have yet to see the cause of Thanksgiving break and should anticipate further movement passing the 3.45 barrier into RED. As far as the Governor’s new risk dial, where if we go into RED we will stop all youth and middle school activities that number soared right up to Red at 24.7% before falling back down 19.5% as of Thursday December 10th. I have been told although and not confirmed that if Nebraska moves into the Governor’s Red (25%) that is based off of Hospitalization and available beds the NSAA might hold an emergency meeting and although continue to allow high school sports, they may announce that schools will not be allowed to have any spectators at those events.
TOTAL POSITIVE: 15-Students, 34-Parent(s)/Family Members, 18-Staff
THIS WEEK POSITIVE: 1-Students, 1-Parent(s)/Family Members, 0-Staff CURRENT QUARANTINE: 15
As for Cedar Bluffs Public School we have had a pretty quiet week with one parent/family member testing positive and a second parent with symptoms being tested that quarantined 3 students. We had 1 student and no staff this week test positive for coronavirus. In total we have just 15 in quarantine with 1 staff member with a family member who had a close contact.
As you probably know the CDC released NEW guidelines for quarantine which reduces the amount of time you are in quarantine. Please see attached. Cedar Bluffs Public School is going to follow this new guideline starting in January for second semester but will continue to respect each parent’s decision if they choose to quarantine for the entire 14 days. Under the new guidance to return earlier from a close contact the individual MUST be symptom free and then they could test on day 5 of quarantine and return on day 8 with a negative test OR if they choose NOT to test, they could return on day 11 but must wear a mask until day 14 even in areas you wouldn’t normally. Please understand that if someone in your household is POSITIVE and you cannot isolate from them, you still must isolate with them for their 10 days and then start the count to day 8 if you wish to return early with a negative test but no longer have to be gone 24 days.
As our school seems to be quiet right now, I continue to read soaring numbers throughout the State and country. One statistic that really shocked me was that as of December 1, 2020 in the United States one person every minute was dying from COVID related illness. COVID deaths have taken over the number one spot from heart disease as the illness American’s are dying from daily. We have one week of school left prior to our Holiday break, please remember to avoid the 3 C’s: Crowed Places, Confined Spaces and Close Contacts and wear your masks when you are out. When we get back in January, hopefully we will have more information about a vaccine. I have read Nebraska’s Vaccine Plan and employees of Schools are listed in the Phase 1A group after front line workers, emergency personnel and nursing home/vulnerable people. However, since it takes a primer and a booster shot to achieve the 90%+ immunity and since the White House did not pre-buy a second round from Pfizer it maybe several months before the vaccine is available. Pfizer, who did not receive Federal support to make the vaccine has signed contracts with other countries and must fulfill those orders before taking a second order from the United States.
#WildcatPride
Please see the this link to view a flow chart to better explain when to quarantine: https://5il.co/nrrq