Virus Test Positive for ‘Grove Girls Volleyball Team Member
LOWER POTTSGROVE PA – The Pottsgrove School District girls volleyball team’s activities have been suspended, and contact tracing calls have begun from the Montgomery County Office of Public Health, after the district was notified Saturday (Sept. 19, 2020) that a team member tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, district Superintendent Dr. William Shirk wrote in a widely distributed letter.
The district also is following the protocols set out two months ago in its health and safety plan for athletics and marching band, and is consulting with the health department “for appropriate next steps,” Shirk added. The department reportedly assured Pottsgrove that its actions “should mitigate transmission.”
The circumstances under which or where the team member became infected, if known, were not mentioned in the letter. The player’s name, age, and grade also were not reported.
“We understand the concern this news may cause,” Shirk acknowledged. The health department “is closely monitoring school re-openings across the county, and has told us … some positive cases are expected as students and staff return to buildings.”
As a result, he noted, Pottsgrove “will reinforce with students and staff the importance of following all safety protocols, including wearing masks and maintaining six feet of social distancing, while in and out of school. He wrote that “parents and staff members are also encouraged to monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19,” and to follow up with health care providers with questions and concerns.
Specific questions about the health department’s recommendations for handling these issues, should be directed to its school division by phone at 610-278-6211, or by e-mail at MCSchoolsCOVID19@montcopa.org, Shirk stated.
Families who want to be tested for coronavirus “are encouraged by the Office of Public Health to wait five days for best accuracy, and then to visit one of county’s testing sites,” according to the letter.
Photo by KeithJJ via Pixabay, used under license
