Seventh Pinellas County school reports COVID-19, fifth to issue quarantines

Another six classes have been quarantined in Pinellas County after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19, according to the school district’s COVID-19 report Wednesday.

A staff member at Osceola Middle School tested positive. The district does not specify who tested because of health privacy laws, nor does it say what role the affected employee played at the school.

But it’s likely, though not certain, that because six classes were quarantined as a result, the employee was either a teacher or in-class support staff.

It’s the seventh Pinellas County school to report COVID-19 cases among students or faculty since school opened Monday. Of those seven, five have issued two-week quarantines to affected students and staff.

Northeast High School, the Pinellas Academy of Math and Science Charter, Carwise Middle and Pinellas Park Elementary have also issued quarantines this week. Clearwater High School and North Shore Elementary have also had cases, but quarantines were not necessary because the patients self-isolated before school began.

The Walter Pownall Service Center, a district owned property without students, has also had three reported cases this week, including one reported Wednesday.

Because of the COVID-19 incubation period and the short period of time schools have been open, the new cases are likely not the result of spread within the schools, rather infections that occurred before school opening. Whether these cases lead to spread within the affected schools will become more clear in the coming days and weeks.

The latest report comes just after Leon County Circuit Judge Charles Dodson vacated an automatic stay on his ruling finding Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran‘s Executive Order forcing schools to open in-person learning five days a week or risk losing state funding unconstitutional. The Florida Education Association filed the lawsuit arguing the order ignored local safety precautions districts may need to take. The state immediately filed an intent to appeal the ruling, triggering a stay.

Now, the state could again appeal Dodson’s ruling overturning the stay, meaning the battle continues.