Pima Elementary staff member tests positive for COVID-19

Jon Johnson File Photo/Gila Herald: A female staff member at Pima Elementary School has tested positive for COVID-19.

First case in Graham County

By Jon Johnson

jonjohnsonnews@gmail.com

PIMA – The Pima School District has announced that a female elementary staff member who was exposed to COVID-19 has tested positive. This is the first case in Graham County. 

The school called parents of elementary school children around 7 p.m. on Friday and advised to quarantine students until March 25. Students who are symptomatic will be able to be tested early next week, according to the notice. 

The Graham County Health Department will be providing a clinic in Pima next week to administer those tests. The clinic will be at the Pima Junior High School on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Pima School Superintendent Sean Rickert advised that the goal is to try to keep Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center from being overwhelmed.

“If they can wait until Monday to come into the clinic, that’s the best way for them to get tested,” Rickert said. “They will have more testing materials at the clinic than they will have at the hospital.”

All of the fifth and sixth graders (166 students) have been asked to self-quarantine, as well as staff members who also were in close contact with the staff member who tested positive. Rickert said the reason the school closed on Thursday was so the rest of the student body didn’t get possibly exposed and therefore they do not have to self-quarantine.

“There’s going to be a brief period before (a patient) is symptomatic where they are contagious,” Rickert said. “That’s why the whole quarantine thing is important to help slow the threat of spreading the virus.”

Graham County Supervisor Danny Smith said the public should see a news release tomorrow regarding further mitigation efforts as “entities in Graham County, their managers, and their respective boards discuss postponements, cancellations and/or other ‘social distancing’ measures to mitigate the spread of the virus.”

The Graham County Health Department confirmed the positive test and issued a press release late Friday night. The release urged all Pima Elementary 5th and 6th graders to voluntarily remain at home until March 25. Following is the news release in its entirety.

The Graham County Health Department is investigating a confirmed case of the novel strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Pima, Arizona. There were possible exposures at Pima Elementary School. The Health Department is working with partners in the County to minimize the impact of this event and limit the spread throughout our Community.

The Health Department will be coordinating an evaluation and testing clinic for Pima Students on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday of next week (March 16, 17, and 20), from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The clinic will be staffed by Health Care Providers from around the County and the clinic will be set up at Pima Junior High School. This clinic will be specific for the Pima Students who have been impacted and have symptoms, including fever and cough. Like many communities across the world, our community has been challenged by this new virus. It will take a community-wide effort to fight COVID-19.

Pima Evaluation and Testing Clinic, Pima Junior High School
For Pima School District Students who have symptoms, including fever and cough:
If your Pima Student has symptoms, including fever and cough, please feel free to bring them to our special clinic for evaluation. When you arrive at the Pima Junior High School, please remain in your vehicle and a staff member will come to your car and give you instructions. We will be trying to avoid any further exposure with group congregations.

The Graham County Health Department is currently asking Pima Elementary Students in 5th and 6th grades to voluntarily remain at home until March 25th, 2020, unless they are seeking medical care. During this period, reasonable efforts should be made to keep the student away from others. While we understand that this can be a challenge within households, we are only asking that reasonable efforts are made to minimize the potential spread of the virus. The voluntary quarantine period does not apply to non-symptomatic household contacts at this time.

Evidence to-date indicates that children 18 and under experience a mild form of this illness similar to a cold. In fact, over 80 percent of individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 in China experience a mild form of this virus. Those who have serious illness tend to be older adults and those with chronic health conditions.

The Health Department is advising that individuals who are sick with fever, shortness of breath and cough should contact their health care provider. Unless you have severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing, it is unlikely you need to go to an emergency room. Health care providers are in the best position to determine if an individual should be tested for COVID-19 in collaboration with Public Health. Make sure you contact your health care provider ahead of time, if possible, to avoid exposing anyone in the waiting room.

There is currently no treatment or vaccine for COVID-19. This is very important because a positive test will not change how an individual is treated. Similar to how we manage flu, sick children and adults with mild symptoms should stay at home, drink fluids and take over the counter medications until they recover.

General things that everyone should do to prevent the spread of all respiratory illnesses include:

  • ●  Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • ●  Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
  • ●  Stay home when you are sick.
  • ●  Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • ●  Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular EPA registered household cleaning spray or wipes.
  • ●  Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. What you need to know about COVID-19:
  • ●  COVID-19 causes a wide range of symptoms including fever, cough, and difficulty breathing.
  • ●  Most people (about 80%) develop only mild symptoms, particularly children.
  • ●  Like influenza, those most likely to develop a severe disease are people older than 60 years and those with other medical conditions like heart or lung disease.
  • ●  The virus is spread person-to-person via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
  • ●  People who are most at risk of becoming infected are those who have prolonged, close contact with a person who is infected with COVID-19 and is symptomatic.
  • ●  There is currently no vaccine or treatment for COVID-19.
  • ●  Find up to date information at azhealth.gov/COVID-19 and at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html