CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- A Chesterfield County elementary school student has been clinically diagnosed with COVID-19, school officials confirmed Thursday.
In a message to families, JB Watkins Elementary Principal Debbie Weatherford says school officials learned Thursday that a student was clinically diagnosed with COVID-19.
"This means that while the doctor did not perform a COVID-19 test, the doctor felt there were enough reasons related to family health to diagnose the student with the illness," Weatherford wrote.
"While the CCPS health plan (developed in partnership with state and local health experts) calls for notifications to be made to individuals identified through contact tracing, schools and school divisions everywhere are navigating these situations for the first time, and we agree that keeping you informed of positive cases is important," she continued.
Weatherford says she cannot specify what grade level the student is in, but says based on information provided to the school division, the student was not infectious while in the school building.
The diagnosis comes only days after pre-K to third grade students returned for face-to-face learning with the start of cohort two.
School officials say staff has been continuously cleaning and disinfecting work spaces according to best practices for health-risk mitigation.
"Thank you for your continued patience and understanding during this difficult time. Maintaining a safe, supportive and nurturing learning environment while also managing staff and student privacy rights remains a top priority," Weatherford added.
