COVID-19 case reported at Raymond Elementary School

The Raymond School District has their first reported case of COVID-19 within their schools.

Raymond students came back to school in-person on Monday.

On Thursday, the Raymond School District announced that someone at Raymond Elementary School has tested positive for COVID-19. 

In a release, they tell parents that the identity of the individual will not be shared because this information is legally protected health information that must be kept confidential.

The district states that they are working closely with the Pacific County Health Department to identify anyone who might have had close contact with the positive case. 

Anyone identified as a close contact will receive another notification, in addition to the letter to parent, with information on required actions and support resources.

If parents do not receive that additional notification, their child was not identified as a close contact and their risk of infection is low.

Symptoms of COVID-19

While your child may not be identified as a close contact of the positive individual, we encourage you to watch for any symptoms of COVID-19 in your child. Those symptoms can include any of the following and may appear two to 14 days after exposure:

• Fever of 100.4°F / 38°C or higher
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Muscle pain or body aches
• Headache New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Other signs of new illness that are unrelated to a preexisting condition (such as seasonal allergies)

What Should I do now?

While many of these symptoms may be caused by other conditions such as allergies, the health department recommends seeking medical evaluation if any of these symptoms develop in the next 14 days. If your child develops symptoms please notify the principal at 360-942-3415 (option 1), remain in quarantine, and reach out to your medical provider for evaluation and testing.

If your child is not identified as a close contact and has no COVID-19 symptoms, testing is not recommended and the risk of infection is low. Simply having a case of COVID-19 in your child’s school does not require any restrictions unless your child is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or has tested positive for COVID-19.

Based on this information, if you have specific concerns about your child or would like to keep your child home out of an abundance of caution, please contact the principal at 360-942-3415 so your child can be transitioned to remote learning.

Raymond Elementary is following all current public health guidance, which is outlined here: https://www.doh.wa.gov/…/coronavirus/FallGuidanceK-12.pdf and includes: Closing off areas visited by the ill person(s); allowing for ventilation in these areas; cleaning and disinfecting all areas such as offices, bathrooms, common areas, shared electronic equipment (like tablets, touch screens, keyboards, remote controls) used by the ill person(s), focusing especially on frequently touched surfaces.

The health and safety of our students, staff and entire school community is our top priority. We will continue to keep you informed about any actions required by you or measures we are implementing to protect students, staff and families.

If you have further questions about COVID-19, consult your healthcare provider or contact the Washington State Department of Health by visiting https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19, calling the Washington State COVID-19 Assistance Hotline, 1-800-525-0127 or https://www.pacificcountycovid19.com/