Janelle Irwin Taylor
Five Pinellas County students recently tested positive for COVID-19, resulting in two classroom quarantines and 15 partial classroom quarantines, according to the school district’s Wednesday report covering cases confirmed Tuesday.
While the cases represent those confirmed Tuesday, those affected may have been notified sooner. The district doesn’t report the cases publicly until they’ve received final confirmation from the Department of Health Pinellas County, which does contact tracing to determine necessary quarantines.
East Lake High School reported the highest number of classroom quarantines after one student tested positive and five partial classrooms were told to isolate. East Lake has now issued quarantines in 12 classrooms, partial or complete, the highest number in the district even though there have only been two students who tested positive for the virus.
Carwise Middle School confirmed another student case, resulting in three partial classroom quarantines. The school has now issued isolation orders in ten classrooms. A total of two students and two employees have tested positive at the school. It’s the only other school in the district to enter double digit classroom or partial classroom quarantines.
Boca Ciega High School added another student case, bringing its classroom quarantines to seven, including the most recent four partial classroom quarantines.
James B. Sanderlin PK-8 school added a student cases and issued one classroom and two partial classroom quarantines. Four classrooms have now been affected.
Seminole Middle School confirmed its first case of COVID-19, a student, resulting in one classroom and one partial classroom quarantine.
A total of 34 students and 26 employees have now tested positive for the virus and at least 107 classrooms have been affected. Another eight employees previously tested positive for COVID-19 at the Walter Pownall Service Center and one at the district’s administration building. Neither facility includes a student population.
Clearwater Intermediate School and Carwise Middle have the most confirmed positive cases with four each. A total of 40 schools have now reported at least one case of COVID-19.
The district does not report the total number of quarantines, only classrooms affected. But given available information, it’s safe to estimate the district has now issued more than 1,000 quarantines.
Hillsborough County Schools have had 140 cases among students and employees since school reopened there Aug. 30. Pasco County has had 74 reported cases and has quarantined 1,354 students and 130 employees. Hillsborough County does not provide quarantine information.
