Poughkeepsie HS Staffer Tests Positive For Coronavirus

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — The Poughkeepsie City School District announced Monday that a staff member at Poughkeepsie High School tested positive for the new coronavirus. The school district was informed Sunday and immediately filed a report with the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health and consulted with Commissioner Dr. A.K. Vaidian to discuss the situation and obtain guidance.

School officials said the staffer was exposed to COVID-19 by someone outside the high school community and sought testing after being notified of the potential exposure.

The testing occurred after the person's last day at the high school, which was Thursday, March 19.

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It is believed, school officials said, that the staffer's presence at the high school on March 19 did not put the general public at risk.

However, as a precaution, the 16 people believed to have had close contact with the staff member have been notified and advised to self-quarantine and contact their primary physician as a precautionary measure.

"Given that schools were closed last week, we don't have reason to believe that any student had direct contact with the affected person at the school while that person was symptomatic," school officials said.

The staffer is quarantined per their doctor's orders and the federal guidance related to testing positive for the new coronavirus.

Other district employees and parents of students at the high school have been notified of the situation.

In response to the news, the high school will undergo deep cleaning to ensure that it is thoroughly sanitized before school reopens for instruction.

The district said it will continue to talk with the county health department and communicate any new developments that may impact the school community.

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