Bulloch Board of Education set to discuss on October 22
The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) "remains steadfast," in its statewide guidance for how those directly exposed to COVID-19 are quarantined, according to correspondence delivered October 19, from Commissioner Kathleen Toomey to Charles Wilson, superintendent of Bulloch County Schools. The response came after Wilson made a written request for the DPH to "immediately revise" and "equally and appropriately" enforce its standing Administrative Order, particularly for all schools across the state. Commissioner Toomey's correspondence was emailed to Wilson by Jennifer Dalton, the DPH's legal counsel.
"Currently, the CDC recommends that any close contacts of infected individuals quarantine for 14 days, regardless of whether or not they were wearing a mask at the time of the encounter," Commissioner Toomey wrote. "We will continue to follow those guidelines until the CDC recommends a different approach."
A series of actions centered around how quarantines are handled in the school district began on October 8, when the Bulloch County Board of Education unanimously approved (8-0) a motion that would permit healthy students a choice to either quarantine at home or remain in school with certain conditions: they were wearing a mask at the time of direct exposure to a COVID-19 case; and they continue to wear a mask. Further implementation of the Board action was temporarily suspended on October 14, after correspondence from Dr. Toomey to Board Chairman Mike Sparks. This was followed by the October 15 and October 19 exchanges between Wilson and Dr. Toomey. The Board of Education will discuss the quarantine issue further at its October 22 work session.
The work session is at 6:30 p.m., in the cafetorium of the school district's Central Office, located at 150 Williams Road in Statesboro. Guests should enter the entrance marked E under the portico on the southeast side of the building. The meeting space is open to the public. All guests are asked to maintain a social distance in the interest of public health.
