As schools across the nation continue to reopen, parents and teachers are collectively holding their breath. The anxiety is understandable, considering how many schools have reopened so far only to close again because of COVID-19 outbreaks. But the hope is that with mask wearing and other new health and safety guidelines, risks remain low and any positive cases can be contained. That said, the onus still lies on parents to monitor their child's health before they enter school doors — something two Massachusetts parents allegedly failed to do. According to administrators at Attleboro Public Schools, the anonymous parents recently sent their child back to school despite knowing the teen had the coronavirus.
The teen student, who has not been identified, attended class Monday.
Attleboro High School Superintendent David Sawyer sent a letter home to families on Tuesday night explaining the matter, according to CNN. Though the teen was not identified, Sawyer stated that the student had apparently tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday — something AHS was only notified of on Tuesday, a full day after the student returned to school.
As a result, the high school frantically rushed to inform teachers and parents.
In total, 28 students who were believed to be in close contact with the student were notified and asked to quarantine for 14 days.
Needless to say, the incident disrupted the school's plans for a smooth reopening this week. But it also serves as a reminder of just how important awareness about the virus and its risks truly is.
According to Attleboro Mayor Paul Heroux, the child's parents are clearly to blame.
The parents allegedly told the city health department that after learning their child tested positive for the virus on Friday, they were under the false assumption the teen could still attend school Monday after quarantining for a few days.
"The parents used very poor judgment. It's very frustrating," Heroux told CNN this week. "The school department did everything they were supposed to do."
The incident isn't just baffling — it's alarming.
That's particularly true now that the coronavirus pandemic is well into its sixth month and it is widely understood the virus has a lengthy incubation period.
To date, the US has reported more than 6.8 million positive cases, which have resulted in more than 201,000 deaths. According to the latest figures from the American Academy of Pediatrics, there have been more than half a million pediatric cases of COVID-19 (or 9.8% of total cases). Although children are less likely to contract severe cases of the virus (often they experience mild symptoms or appear asymptomatic), they are far from immune. In fact, some experts worry they may be silently spreading the disease.
A recent CDC study found that children who were infected with the virus at several Utah day care centers this year inevitably brought the virus back home and infected family members. In all cases, parents were initially unaware their child even had the virus, because the child was not displaying obvious symptoms. Through contact tracing, researchers found that the outbreaks ultimately led to 12 additional transmissions of the disease.
Symptoms or not, the virus stays within the body for quite some time.
According to the Centeres for Disease Control and Prevention, people infected with COVID-19 typically develops symptoms within five days of being infected, though they can appear as early as two days after or as late as 14 days afterward (hence the recommended quarantine period of two weeks).
Since March, the general narrative has been that the virus takes several weeks to fully run its course. But as the pandemic has dragged on, there is emerging evidence that some patients experience lingering symptoms for months after being infected. They are part of a group known as the "long-haulers" — people who may suffer from aches, pains, persistent coughs, and other symptoms for as many as six months after their first diagnosis.
Nine-year-old Eli Lipman is one of them. He spoke with CNN's Chris Cuomo earlier this week to share his story and warn both parents and children of just how devastating the illness can be.
"Kids, I'm sorry to say this, but it is a big deal," the boy shared. "It will hurt. You just got to face the truth: Sometimes you're not OK."
For now, Attleboro Public Schools remain open, despite the incident.
Sawyer told CNN that the district is continuing to do all it can to protect its teachers and students, implementing prescreening and contact tracing measures to help reduce the spread of the virus, as well as other new safety guidelines.
The city's mayor hopes the situation at Attleboro High is a reminder to parents to keep their children home if they feel ill, especially if they test positive for the coronavirus. In addition, Heroux said parents and guardians can call the school or health department if they have questions about protocol.
