November 6, 2020
Parent/Guardian/Staff Member:
This is a notification that Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) has identified an outbreak of COVID-19 at Youngker High School. There is no action for you to take at this time.
Public Health is currently working closely with administration and staff to identify close contacts of the individuals who have tested positive to prevent further spread of the disease. You will receive a separate notification if you/your child are/is identified as having had close contact to a positive case. All close contacts of positive cases will be required to stay home from school (quarantine) for 14 days, regardless of a negative test, except those considered essential workers.
A school outbreak of COVID-19 is defined as:
- Two or more students or staff who have tested positive for COVID-19 within a 14-day period; and could have had some close contact such as in a classroom or on a school sports team;
- Do not live in the same household; and were not identified as close contacts of each other in another
setting during a Public Health case investigation (e.g. friends who play together in each other’s homes).
COVID-19 is still circulating in our community. The best way to keep you and your family safe from respiratory diseases like COVID -19 and the flu is to:
- Clean your hands often, either with soap and water for 20 seconds or a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Put distance between yourself and other people (at least 6 feet).
- Cover your mouth and nose with a mask when around others.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces daily.
- Get a flu vaccine.
If you/your child or a family member is experiencing COVID-like symptoms (fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, sore throat, headache, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, muscle/body aches, and/or a new loss of taste or smell), do not attend work/school, and consider either seeking healthcare or getting a COVID-19 PCR or antigen test, depending on the severity of symptoms. Testing locations can be found by calling 2-1-1.
We are working closely with Maricopa County Department of Public Health to stop COVID-19 from spreading in our school. This includes reminding staff and students to stay home when they are sick and making sure that proper quarantine protocol is followed by all staff and students. Youngker High School is already in Distance Learning until November 19th due to staff positive tests and quarantine protocol inhibiting campus supervision.
For additional questions related to our school, please contact 623-474-0100. For questions related to COVID-19, please either email [email protected] or dial 2-1-1, select option 6 (for COVID-19), and then select option 3 (for the COVID Parent Hotline) or visit www.Maricopa.gov/COVID19.
Sincerely,
Olen R. Roberson
Interim Superintendent