A member of the Lookout Valley Elementary School community has tested positive for COVID-19.
County School officials said, "The district wants to be as transparent as possible with families and staff during this challenging time, so we are sharing all of the information possible.
"We were notified by the Hamilton County Health Department today, March 20, that someone associated with Lookout Valley Elementary School had a confirmed case of COVID-19.
This person was in the school building within the last 14 days. The Hamilton County Health Department is the lead organization responding to this case. The district will assist the Health Department to identify those at the school who may have been in close proximity to the individual. Anyone who may meet this criteria will be contacted by the Health Department. The school district has communicated this information to the Lookout Valley Elementary parents and staff by phone message and email this afternoon.
"Because of privacy laws, and out of consideration for the person and their family, we cannot share the person’s name.
"We ask the community to please continue to follow the guidelines of the CDC, including:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick. CDC guidelines recommend maintaining a distance of at least six (6) feet.
- Do not gather in groups of 10 or more.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. If you don’t have a tissue, use your elbow and not your hands to cover the sneeze or cough.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
"The district will close the Lookout Valley Elementary building for cleaning and continue deep-cleaning all of our schools during the school closure to ensure they are safe for students and staff upon returning to school.
"We are closely monitoring the situation and will provide additional updates when available. If you or someone in your family is showing symptoms of COVID-19, please contact a healthcare provider. The Hamilton County Health Department has set up a hotline for up-to-date, reliable and accurate information about COVID-19: (423) 209-8383."