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Limestone County Schools clarifies quarantine measures

WZDX News received complaints about quarantine measures once a student is exposed to COVID-19. Supt. Shearouse explains how positive cases are handled.

LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. — Some people in Limestone County have concerns that students exposed to COVID-19 are not being quarantined.

WZDX News spoke with Limestone County Schools Superintendent Randy Shearouse and he says about more than two dozen people tested positive with the coronavirus within the school district. However, he shared how he intends to keep students and teachers safe.

"We always have to be on our guard and we're going to continue to do that as we move through to Christmas," says Shearouse.

Shearouse has served close to four months into his new role. He says the school district is working consistently to follow CDC guidelines.

However, a former bus driver who chose to be anonymous, shared with WZDX News that students exposed to a teacher infected with the virus didn't go into quarantine.

Shearouse clarified that a quarantine isn't needed if a student and teacher weren't in close contact for fifteen minutes. "If I go and help a student for two minutes, then that's less than that fifteen minutes exposure. So, that's okay," he says.

He says the district has worked to maintain social distancing in the classroom.

"We actually have seating charts. So some of our nurses have gone in to classrooms and measure with a tape measurer to make sure they're beyond the six feet."

Shearouse says the same guidelines apply to bus drivers.

"As long as they can maintain at least six feet and not being around the bus driver, for fifteen minutes then they don't have to be quarantined," he says.

Concerns about school bus mechanics not being quarantined after exposure to another infected person was also shared with WZDX News.

Shearouse says he isn't aware of that case, but assures the community this: "Any particular situations, if that person would want to call and say 'this is what happened, and you might need to investigate', I'd be glad to talk to 'em," says Shearouse.

Shearouse says that school grounds in Limestone County Schools are cleaned daily. 

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