The East Greenbush Central School District was notified this weekend that a school bus driver has tested positive for COVID-19. The district, in coordination with the Rensselaer County Health Department, has completed its contact tracing of that driver’s three daily bus routes and identified 45 students and two employees as contacts who must enter mandatory quarantine at home.
All families impacted have been contacted by school administrators and given instructions related to mandatory quarantine. The quarantined students do not need to be tested for COVID-19 unless exhibiting symptoms or advised by a healthcare provider.
There will be no impact on the school schedule related to this confirmed case of COVID-19.
Although the driver and students were wearing face masks and socially distanced, the county health department advised that anyone riding those bus routes the week of November 16-20 must quarantine due to the ride duration. Quarantine end dates range from December 1-December 4 depending on the last day of the student’s ridership. Affected students will be placed on remote learning until they are released from quarantine.
Parents of the students who have been quarantined have been asked to complete the COVID-19 Screening Form daily and report any symptoms of COVID-19, including fever (greater than 100 degrees), cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea.
The district is also asking families to voluntarily keep any siblings at home through the end of their quarantine out of an abundance of caution.
As part of the district’s Reopening Plan safety procedures, school buses are cleaned after every run each school day and the buses are disinfected at the end of every day.
In the event that further developments occur or if additional information regarding this matter becomes available to our school district, the school community will be kept informed.
Those with questions are advised to call the county health department directly at 518-270-2655 or contact the district’s COVID-19 Coordinator at Columbia High School at 518-207-2180.