A teacher at Lafayette Middle is on self-quarantine after traveling abroad recently.
The Lafayette Parish School System confirmed to KATC that a teacher notified them of recent travels out of the country. Because of this and per CDC recommendations, that teacher has chosen to self-quarantine out of an abundance of caution amid coronavirus concerns.
Parents and staff were notified of the teacher who is self-quarantined. LPSS says that the teacher has been on campus and in the classroom since returning from travel. The teacher will not return to the school until cleared by medical professionals.
Students were moved from that teacher's classroom to another location. The room will be disinfected before anyone returns.
On Tuesday, the school system sent out a letter on virus prevention.
LPSS says this portion of the letter is what prompted the teacher to take precautionary measures:
"Current and potential students, as well as staff, who have recently traveled outside of the U.S. to a country on the CDC's risk-assessed list, are asked to wait 14 days, beginning with the day of return to the U.S., before returning to school and work."
There are no confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in Louisiana. The teacher in question was not known to have any illness at the time of self-quarantine. LPSS said this is the only teacher in the parish that is quarantined at this time.
Spokesperson from LPSS Allison Dickerson says clarified on Friday that the teacher did not travel to any of the countries listed on the CDC’s risk assessed list.
It is unlear why LPSS allowed the teacher to self-quarantine if they did not travel to a risk-assessed location.
"LPSS administrators made the decision to remove the staff member from campus out of an abundance of caution for others on site. LPSS applauds this staff member for being proactive and reaching out to administrators, as our number one goal is to keep students safe."
LPSS says they will continue to monitor this development and remain proactive in keeping students and staff safe from any illnesses.
The CDC describes quarantine as the separation of a person or group of people reasonably believed to have been exposed to a communicable disease but not yet symptomatic, from others who have not been so exposed, to prevent the possible spread of the communicable disease.
Several teachers in New Orleans have done similar self-quarantines. So far, four teachers in the area have self-quarantined after travel abroad. None have shown signs or symptoms of illness.
Read that letter to parents and staff below:
