An employee at Fruitland Park Elementary School is among 18 Lake County Schools employees who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past week.
The Fruitland Park Elementary employee tested positive this week and has been following quarantining guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Another employee who had direct contact with that person also is quarantining, according to Lake County Schools Communications Director Sherri Owens.
“We are doing a deep cleaning in the spaces where the employee worked this week,” Owen said. “Everyone else on campus is continuing to follow safety protocols, including wearing masks, social distancing and frequently washing and sanitizing their hands.”
Owen added that 17 Lake County Schools employees tested positive last week with the free rapid test administered through the school district’s partnership with Adult Medicine of Lake County. Those results were then confirmed by a PCR nasal swab test, Owen said.
On Friday, Lake County Board of County Commissioners Chairman Leslie Campione said in her “Chairman’s Update” that the positive results were discovered among close to 1,900 teachers and staff members who were tested.
“As we see new positive cases in coming weeks, the most important questions to ask are, “How quickly were they identified?” and “Are they being separated/isolated from others for 14 days or until they test negative?” she said.
Campione added that officials are expecting new COVID-19 cases – Lake County reported 95 new cases Friday for a total of 5,947 – to increase after schools reopen Monday but the key is to continue testing, identifying cases and isolating and protecting vulnerable family members.
“Protect those who are vulnerable – diabetes, high blood pressure and hypertension are emerging as the most prevalent underlying factors that create complications,” Campione said.
