The Florida Department of Health in Monroe County has identified a number of staff and students at two schools in the Middle Keys and one school in the upper Keys who have come into contact with a COVID-positive person and they have been told to quarantine. The school district is aware of the situation and will be tracking the quarantine period closely to ensure these individuals do not return to school until it is safe for them to do so. Monroe County Schools are relatively small, and releasing any kind of detailed information about these incidents could lead to possibly identifying these individuals. Releasing any potentially identifiable information like this is prohibited by law.
The health department and the school district are working closely together to ensure the safety of students and staff. Lines of communication are open between the two agencies. If you have not been contacted about this incident, then you and/or your children did not come into contact with the individuals who are involved. If more information reveals further exposures, then appropriate action will be taken at that time.
“The system set up to identify, contact, and quarantine staff and students in an event like this worked as it was supposed to. All individuals affected were limited and were quickly notified and appropriately quarantined. As of this time, we only have two people district-wide who have actually tested positive for COVID-19,” said Superintendent Theresa Axford. “We need for everyone to continue to remain vigilant, and to communicate with the district and health department when something like this takes place so we can keep everyone safe, and keep the numbers of those affected as small as possible,” she said.
