HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- A person who helped with grab-and-go food distribution at Longan Elementary School in Henrico has tested positive for COVID-19, a Henrico Schools spokesperson announced Friday.
“On Thursday, May 28, HCPS became aware that an employee who assisted with the food service efforts at Longan Elementary School as recently as last week tested positive for COVID-19. The employee last worked at the site on Friday, May 22, and the positive test occurred this week,” Robin Gilbert, Henrico School Health Services supervisor, wrote to the community.
Since then, Gilbert said the county has taken the following steps:
- A thorough sanitizing of the Longan Elementary School food service site is underway this morning, May 29, and will be completed prior to today’s food distribution which begins at 11 a.m.
- A new team of food service employees will begin working there today, and school nurses, who perform health checks and temperature screenings on food service employees each day, will continue to rotate through Longan on their normal schedule.
- For months, all food service employees have strictly followed established food safety protocols including mask-wearing, hand-washing, glove-wearing and social distancing when interacting with the public.
- Employees perform “contactless” delivery by placing meals in the rear or trunks of vehicles.
“Due to these safety measures, the Henrico Health Department’s experts tell us they believe the risk to other people is low, however we encourage anyone who recently visited the Longan Elementary School food service site to consult state and local health guidance or to contact their primary care physician with further questions or concerns,” Gilbert continued.
All 15 Henrico schools food service locations will be open at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 29.
