Dear Worcester Preparatory School Families,
Over the past few weeks I have fielded many questions regarding our return to campus and the protocols our Mallard Strong Task Force committees have developed to keep our community safe. The Health & Safety Plan (linked below) will serve as an addendum to our handbook for Covid procedures. Additionally, I have sent targeted communications on specific topics so as not to overwhelm you with too much information. This letter will describe our protocol in a situation where someone has tested positive for the virus.
This is a complicated matter involving the Worcester County Department of Health, individual family physician input, and confidentiality regulations covered under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Every situation will be reviewed on an individual basis using the health experts identified above. With that being said, we have developed some general protocols that will guide our response to these situations.
Immediately upon learning of a positive test from one of our staff, students, or families, we will contact representatives of the Worcester County Department of Health and take our direction from their guidance. It is our understanding that they will take the lead in determining whether anyone was in close contact with this individual. Close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of another person without a mask for more than 15 minutes.
The Worcester County Department of Health, along with the Maryland COVID Task Force, will reach out to those who need testing. It is our understanding that anyone who is identified by these agencies must remain quarantined for 14 days even if their test is negative. The confidentiality laws contained in the HIPAA legislation will not permit us to share personal information about a positive test, however we will let our entire community know there has been a positive test.
We are making every effort to create an educational environment that limits as much as possible the chance of close contact while staff and students are on campus. We all will need to work together as a school community to maintain safety when we are not in session.
Finally, there is a link to our Health and Safety Plan included below. This plan was created by the Task Force and met with approval by the Worcester County Department of Health.
Thank you for all your support and please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. In the meantime, stay informed, stay safe and stay Mallard Strong!
