Coronavirus Bethel: Berry School Group Under Quarantine

BETHEL, CT — A member of the Berry School community tested positive for the coronavirus. Two classrooms and some additional staff members were identified as direct contacts, and placed under quarantine, according to a letter to families from Superintendent Christine Carver Thursday.

"In consultation with the Department of Public Health, it has been deemed that Berry School can remain open, on the current full in-person schedule," Carver wrote. "We are ensuring that the routine COVID-19 cleaning and disinfecting procedures are adequate and in use as required."

The infected person was last in school on Friday, Nov. 13. School and health department officials have notified any staff and the families of students who may have had the potential for direct contact for the exposure. Members of the community who have had exposure with the positive case will not be notified, Carver said.

"Direct contacts" are defined as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes over a 24-hour period (with or without a mask), starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling ill or 48 hours prior to a positive test of an asymptomatic person.

"We will continue to closely monitor the health conditions of our students and staff. We will also continue to implement all of the mitigation strategies in our reopening plan. The health and safety of all members of our school community remain our priority," Carver wrote in the letter.