A student in an area school district has tested positive for COVID-19.

According to Brunswick R-2 Superintendent Cara Engelbrecht, the district was informed a student had tested positive this week. She says the district is working with the Chariton County Health Department to trace the individual’s contacts. She says you will be notified by the health department if your student is identified as a close contact.

Close contact includes:
— Living in the same household as an infected person with COVID-19;
— Caring for an infected person with COVID-19;
— Being within six feet of an infected person with COVID-19 for more than 15 minutes; and/or
— Being in direct contact with fluids from an infected person with COVID19.

CDC guidelines indicate that if your student was not considered to be in close contact, they are at a low risk for infection. If you are not contacted directly by the health department, then your child is not considered a close contact. However, it is important to continue to monitor for symptoms and contact your healthcare provider and/or your local health department for guidance.

Signs and symptoms to monitor include: cough; difficulty breathing or shortness of breath; loss of taste and/or smell; fever of 100.4 degrees or more; congestion and/or runny nose; nausea and/or vomiting; diarrhea; sore throat; headache; body aches; fatigue; and/or chills.

Engelbrecht says the district will continue to document seating arrangements to assist with contact tracing, as well as implement increased sanitation procedures. She says the district will follow protocols outlined in the district’s COVID-19 plan. She says, “Please rest assured that the well-being and safety of our students, staff and community is of the utmost importance to the district as we continue our best efforts to educate, protect and support our students.”