Student tests positive for COVID at Madison Elementary School, no other students or staff affected

The Desert Sands Unified School District announced that there was a positive COVID case at James Madison Elementary School in Indio earlier this week.

DSUSD's Assistant Superintendent of Student Services Laura Fisher confirmed that no students or staff were deemed close contacts, due to all the masks and distancing guidelines in place. There will be no quarantines for students or staff.

Fisher says the student will be isolated for 10 days and return to school after meeting the required return to school criteria, which falls in line with the California Department of Public Health.

This criteria includes:

• At least 24 hours have passed since resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications
• Other symptoms have improved; and
• They have a negative COVID test OR a healthcare provider has provided
  documentation that the symptoms are typical of their underlying chronic
  condition such as allergies or asthma OR a health care provider has
  confirmed an alternative named diagnosis OR at least 10 days have passed
  since the date of the specimen collection of the positive COVID test.

According to a letter sent out to parents on April 13, the student was last on school premises on April 12.

According to DSUSD's COVID safety plan, after a student is found to test positive, the district goes through a process to gather more information.

• The following information is gathered by district health personnel:
  • Student name and DOB
  • School site/Grade/Teacher’s name
  • Determine instructional statue-hybrid or distance learning
  • Date of last day at the site
  • Date of positive test
  • Parent contact information
• District health personnel inputs information into the district tracking spreadsheet
  • Lead nurse contacts student’s parent/guardian to
    • Check on their health
    • Discuss return to school criteria
    • Complete contact tracing information through parent, teacher and student

Check out DSUSD's safety plan for more details on the school COVID plan

All areas of the school where the student spent time in will be cleaned and disinfected before they are in used again, the letter reads.

"Please remind your child to use their face covering. stay at least 6 feet away from other people, and wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 second.

Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus and include:

• fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore Throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

Anyone with additional questions or concerns can contact Principal Davis at 760-775-3850

Stay with News Channel 3 for any updates.