YOUR AD HERE »

Positive COVID-19 case at Battle Mountain High School sends 55 to remote learning

Parents notified Sunday night after one student tested positive

A student at Battle Mountain High School has tested positive for COVID-19, prompting five staff members and 50 students to transition to remote learning.

Eagle County Schools, in a news release, said there is no current outbreak, just the single case. The student was last at the high school on Tuesday, Sept. 15, and followed face covering and social distancing guidelines. Eagle County Public Health is investigating the case and advised the school district to transition staff and students who were in the same classroom as the student who tested positive to remote learning beginning Monday.

The remote learning period will last through Tuesday, Sept. 29, and students and staff may return to school on Wednesday, Sept. 30. Parents have been notified with specific instructions on whether or not their student needs to quarantine while engaged in remote learning, based on attendance records and class lists.



Notifications went to parents late Sunday night following notice by Eagle County Public Health on Sunday evening. The district stated in its release that there is no cause for concern or action for the other grades, so other Battle Mountain students will continue attending school as scheduled.

Siblings and parents of the impacted students do not need to quarantine and can attend school unless they develop symptoms at home. If symptoms develop, contact your health care provider and Public Health for further instructions.

Support Local Journalism




Each case of COVID-19 is followed up on by public health officials. As part of this public health investigation:

  • The person diagnosed is being kept home from school until they are no longer infectious.
  • The person’s activities when they could have spread COVID-19 are assessed.
  • The people who were close contacts of the person with COVID-19 are instructed to stay home from school for 14 days after the exposure.
  • Cooperation is critical to managing the spread of the virus.

In determining who is at risk, public health contact tracers look for distance, duration, protection.

  • Was a person within 3 feet of an infected person for more than 15 minutes without a face covering protection?
  • The risk of infection is not instantaneous or automatic.
  • This is why social distancing and face coverings work.

“This is how the system is designed to work. Rapidly identify a positive case, remove them from public circulation, remove others with close contact, and contain the spread,” said Superintendent Philip Qualman. “We thank Public Health, the staff, and families for working hard to contain the spread and all wish our student a speedy recovery.”

More Like This, Tap A Topic
coronavirus

Support Local Journalism