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Roane County School District

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COVID Information

Who is eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine?
Covid-19 vaccinations are available to everyone at no cost.  The CDC now recommends that children between the ages of 5 and 11 years receive the Pfizer-BioNTech pediatric COVID-19 Vaccine and everyone over the age of 12 receive any of the available vaccines.
 
Where can I get a Covid-19 vaccine in Roane County?
Many, if not all, of our local pharmacies now have Covid-19 vaccines available.  To find the closest pharmacy or vaccine site near you, you can visit this website: https://www.vaccines.gov/search/ and use your ZIP code to find a convenient location at one of our community pharmacies or our county health department.
 
What about the booster dose?
There are now booster recommendations for all 3 available Covid-19 vaccines in the United States. Individuals may choose which vaccine they receive as a booster dose. Some people may have a preference for the vaccine type that they originally received, and others may prefer to get a different booster. CDC's recommendation now allows for this type of mix and match dosing for booster shots. 
 
Effective immediately, Roane County Schools will be going back to Covid-19 Contact Tracing - Phase One which will eliminate the need for "Close Contact Tracing" due to the low number of cases in our system. We definitely applaud everyone's efforts in keeping our schools healthy and safe. 
 
We will only be reporting Positive and Household Cases until further notice.  Students and faculty who are currently serving close contact quarantine(s) may return to school. 
 
Phase One:
1) Positive Cases - Isolate 10 days, return on day 11
2)Household Cases - Isolate 10 days, Quarantine 10 days, return on day 21. May covid test on day 15 or after, if negative with no symptoms may return on day 18.
 
Please continue to wear masks, social distance, and take all the necessary safety steps so we will not have to go back to Phase 2. 
 
Encourage Masks
Students and staff are encouraged to wear masks when in close contact with others.  Not only will masks help reduce or prevent the chance of getting COVID but also will help fight flu, strep, common cold, etc.
 
Social Distancing
When possible, students and staff should remain at least 6' apart to help reduce transmission risk.  Where spacing between each other is not feasible, masks should be worn.
 
Hand Washing and Sanitizing
Students should be allowed to wash or sanitize their hands periodically throughout the day.  All PPE (personal protective equipment) is available to all schools, including hand sanitizer.
 
Sanitizing the School Buildings
Custodians will clean the building, but classroom teachers and other school staff members are encouraged to wipe down desks and equipment periodically.
 
Maintain Seating Charts
Classroom teachers, school bus drivers, and other staff members should keep seating charts in the event that a COVID outbreak occurs.
 
Stay Home
If your child is feeling ill and/or is running a fever, please keep them at home.
 
Vaccinations
Vaccination clinics will be offered for students ages 12-17 and staff throughout the school year.  Fully vaccinated individuals do not have to quarantine if showing no symptoms but can if parents choose to do so.
 
Classroom Instruction
Students on quarantine or in isolation will receive assignments as if they are out of school for being sick.
Our school district is currently contact tracing positive cases, close contacts, and household contacts within each school.  Positive cases are to isolate for 10 days and return on day 11; individuals identified as close contacts are to quarantine for 10 days while household contacts are to quarantine for 20 days.  If told a different time frame by health official, that time frame will be honored.  Fully vaccinated individuals do not have to quarantine if showing no symptoms; we understand they can still get COVID even if fully vaccinated and may still quarantine if parents choose to do so.
 
In close contact tracing cases, if the close contact was wearing a mask, the close contact does not have to quarantine but may if parents choose to do so.
 
During isolation and quarantine, students and staff members are not allowed to attend any school function.
 
If your child is waiting on COVID test results, please keep them at home until results are returned.
 
If you are concerned about your child being in close contact with a positive case or a household contact, speak to them about the importance of wearing his or her mask when social distancing is not easily done and discuss proper handwashing techniques.
Our Roane County Schools COVID portal is an active document showing updates throughout the day.  The total number of positive cases for each school is listed as well as the percentage of the student body represented by the positive numbers.  Staff positive numbers are also shown. 
 
Explanatory Video of What the Dashboard Shows
 
Live COVID Dashboard for Roane County Schools
Numbers change daily as students and staff return from quarantine; schools report numbers as they have time throughout the day.
 
 
Will the district put a school with higher positive case numbers on remote learning?
Due to the actions of the legislature we do not have the option of putting a school "on remote" for several days to alleviate spikes in the virus as we did last year.
 
Will the district close a school with higher positive case numbers?
If we close one school, we have to use a stockpiled day that is allocated for the whole school system. So, for example, if we close Midway High School for 2 days, it would reduce our number of available stockpiled days from 11 to 9, even though it is only 1 school closing.
 
Where do I receive the back to school letter if my child is positive?
The team of contact tracers from the regional health department will send a letter to your family; please be patient.  Also, you may receive a phone call from a number you don't recognize; that could possibly be the case investigator and can provide needed information to you and your family.