Positive tests, quarantines
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
LINWOOD — Mainland Regional High School has canceled the remainder of its football season due to a player testing positive for the coronavirus.
Athletic Director Michael Gatley notified media of the situation Tuesday, Nov. 10.
“Unfortunately, due to a positive COVID case on the football team today, our season is over as the team will be in quarantine for the next 14 days starting tomorrow,” Gatley stated in an email. “Better times ahead I hope.”
In a letter to the student body, Chief School Administrator Mark Marrone wrote the following:
“COVID-19 is a reality in our communities and school, just like it is a reality in every community and school district throughout the state of New Jersey. Like other school districts throughout the state, a student-athlete has tested positive for COVID-19 and was in contact with other players and coaches within 48 hours of the confirmed test result.
“Out of an abundance of caution and following the recommendations of the Atlantic County Department of Health, we have directed our football players and coaches to self-quarantine for 14 days, which unfortunately coincides with the last two weeks of the high school’s football season, thus ending the season.
“We are heartbroken by this outcome but know that we must take immediate action to protect the health, safety and welfare of our students, coaches, faculty and staff. As always, the district will continue to work with the Atlantic County Department of Health to address these situations as they arise and continue to utilize enhanced disinfecting and cleaning procedures to sanitize the facility daily. All individuals that have been identified in close contact have been notified.”
Marrone also updated the community on the overall COVID-19 picture at MRHS in a letter dated Nov. 12.
“COVID-19 is a reality in our communities and thus a reality in the high school. After the recent end to the high school’s football season, the district believes it is prudent to share the following information regarding COVID-19’s impact on our Mainland Regional High School community:
“Since the beginning of the school year, approximately 75 students, faculty and staff (including members of the football team and coaching staff) have had to self-quarantine due to close contact with someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19. In nearly all these instances, the individuals directed to self-quarantine have not tested positive for COVID-19.
“Furthermore, the district has had numerous students that have tested positive for COVID-19, and contract tracing has indicated that the students with confirmed cases of COVID-19 did not contract COVID-19 at the high school. In addition, all students, faculty and staff either self-quarantining or with a confirmed case of COVID-19 have not been in the high school after their diagnosis or being directed to self-quarantine. We have had ill students come to the high school that we have isolated and sent home. We work in partnership with the Atlantic County Department of Health every day to address COVID-19-related situations.
“In addition, the district has and will continue to work closely with students, staff and faculty regarding COVID-19-related issues including self-quarantine and responding to confirmed cases of COVID-19. We are not sending daily information regarding close contacts and confirmed cases to the entire school community due to privacy concerns.
“In addition, we do not want to create alarm regarding confirmed cases outside of the high school that are not tied to the high school — other than the fact that a student involved attends Mainland Regional High School. If these students did not contract COVID-19 at the high school and have not been in attendance at the high school, there is limited possibility of transmission in the high school.
“We would be mistaken to believe that COVID-19 is not in our school, and it would be unrealistic to believe that there are not asymptomatic individuals that are attending school on one of the two in-person instructional days that do not know they have COVID-19. For this reason, the district utilizes enhanced disinfecting and cleaning procedures to sanitize the facility every day. Disinfecting wipes, gloves and hand sanitizer are available in every classroom and instructional area. We disinfect and clean school buses after each run.
“Furthermore, students, staff and faculty are required to remain socially distanced and to wear face coverings throughout the duration of the school day, only to be removed while eating.
“As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases continues to rise in New Jersey and across the United States, we need your help in avoiding engaging in activities that increase the risk of community spread and transmission. Permitting your student to attend large gatherings, including parties with or without social distancing and wearing a face covering, still increases the possibility of transmission and the possibility that that high school may need to close to in-person instruction in the future.
“Please continue to screen your student(s) prior to coming to the high school for in-person instruction or athletics. Finally, on behalf of our Board of Education, faculty and staff, thank you for continuing to work in partnership with the district as we continue to navigate this
challenging time.”
— Students, faculty and staff that have a confirmed case of COVID-19 are directed to self-quarantine for ten days after the date of their last symptom.
— “Close contacts” are individuals that are within 6 feet or less for a cumulative time of 15 minutes or more with an individual diagnosed with a confirmed case of COVID-19. “Close contacts” are also required to self-quarantine for 14 days.
— “Contacts of close contacts” do not need to quarantine unless the “close contact” tests positive for COVID-19. At that time, the “contact of a close contact” would become a “close contact” and need to self-quarantine for 14 days.