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The V.I. Dept of Education has announced that the V.I. Department of Health confirmed Monday a parent who attended the walk-thru portion of the Charlotte Amalie High School graduation ceremony tested positive for Covid-19.
The parent’s exposure period began prior to their attendance at the May 21 ceremony on the CAHS campus, and the infection did not originate at the graduation, according D.O.E., citing the health department.
D.O.E. said the school’s 222 graduates and their parents were separated into cohorts that were housed in three locations on the campus until their scheduled procession to an outdoor stage where students would receive their diploma and be greeted by dignitaries.
"Safety protocols were strictly enforced throughout the ceremony, with temperature checks conducted at all entrances, and sanitization with soap and water and/or hand sanitizer made available to attendees. All guests and students were also required to wear a face mask at all times," the department said.
D.O.H. continues to conduct contact tracing of guests that may have come in close contact with the affected parent, according to the release.
Anyone who attended the CAHS graduation ceremony on May 21 and is concerned about their exposure to Covid-19, may contact the Department of Health’s epidemiology hotline at (340) 776-1519 or (340) 712-6299, or call their private physician for further guidance.
Education officials also announced on Monday that a student at the Joseph Sibilly Elementary School on St. Thomas tested positive for the coronavirus Saturday.
D.O.E. said safety protocols at all district schools prohibit students from intermingling with other students not in their classrooms, therefore, other classrooms at the school have not been affected.
Sibilly school had previously planned to conduct its final week of classes for the 2020-2021 school year virtually. No students and staff will report to the campus during the week of May 24-28 for in-person classes, according to the release.
The school's faculty and staff have been made aware of the incident, and the Dept. of Health has conducted contact tracing among students and staff in the affected classroom, all of whom will undergo Covid-19 testing if necessary.
The affected classroom and school are being thoroughly sanitized with the appropriate CDC-approved cleaning/sanitizing solutions, D.O.E. said.