3 District 20 elementary schools quarantine staff, students for coronavirus-like symptoms

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Academy District 20 said Monday that three elementary schools had to quarantine four people - from both their staff and students - because of COVID-like symptoms.

As a result - 11 other people in contact with those showing symptoms were also ordered to quarantine for 14 days.

The district said the students/staff have not tested positive, but precautions are being taken to be safe and in accordance with Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment guidelines.

D20 said the quarantines affected students/staff at Woodmen Roberts Elementary, Ranch Creek Elementary and Frontier Elementary. None of the individuals were identified, and it's not clear how many people had to be quarantined.

The following actions were being taken:

• The students/staff will remain home until they are no longer infectious. 
• Any student or staff in close contact with the individual displaying symptoms have been instructed to stay home for 14 days. This is called quarantine. 
• The areas in the school where the students/staff were present are temporarily closed for deep cleaning and disinfecting. These areas will be open by Tuesday morning.

Students and staff in quarantine will not be allowed back onto campus sooner than 14 days unless they take a COVID-19 test and receive a negative result.

District 20 leaders say their protocol for quarantining staff and students is based on guidance directly from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Allison Cortez, Director of Communications for Academy District 20, says schools are preparing for quarantining efforts to escalate.

“Where this could change is if we start to see many many people have symptoms that turn into positives," says Cortez. " That’s where you’ll start to see cohorts of classes taken online - and unfortunately it could lead to a entire school.”

District 20 high schools and middle schools are expected to return to in-person learning on September 14th so long as infection rates continue to trend downward in El Paso County.