Covid Update from the Head of School

North Cross community,

On Monday, we tested 680 members of the North Cross community and results show 58 positives for a 8.5% positivity rate.  This reflects the increased contagiousness of the omicron variant and the social nature of the holidays but the positivity rate is not much higher than our results from last year at this time.  

Of the 58 positives, 41 were students, 3 were faculty, and 13 were staff.  We are fortunate in that the faculty and staff positives are spread out among the departments so that we are able to continue full operations.  

In response to changes made by the CDC, we are altering our quarantine and isolation policies for faculty and students that test positive or are deemed in close contact.  At present, vaccinated means two doses of the MRNA vaccine or one dose of the J&J vaccine. 

Unvaccinated persons testing positive will isolate for five days and then re-test.  With a negative result, they will be allowed to return.  A positive result will require five more days of isolation.  Vaccinated persons testing positive will isolate for five days then will be allowed to return without further testing assuming they are symptom free for 24 hours.  In all cases, persons testing positive will remain masked for a ten day period, a non-issue given our current requirement to remain masked when indoors on campus.

If a vaccinated person is exposed, we will not require a five day quarantine period. Should an unvaccinated person be exposed, they will quarantine for five days, then return following a negative test.

It does appear that while more transmissive, the omicron variant is less severe, although there are increased numbers of pediatric hospitalizations.  Please follow the recommendations of the CDC with respect to vaccinations and boosters for your children.  

We will test again on Thursday, January 20th.  

Thank you and again, I appreciate your patience as we negotiate our way through.  
​