October 27, 2021
Dear RSU 50 Staff, Students, Parents,
This letter is to inform you that an individual associated with RSU 50 recently tested positive for COVID - 19. We are informing you out of an abundance of caution and to help keep our school community informed. As always, please monitor yourself/your student for signs and symptoms. Call a health care provider if symptoms start. It is important that you call a healthcare facility before you show up in person. Stay home if you are sick or are experiencing any listed symptoms.
COVID-19 is a respiratory illness that ranges from mild to severe. It can be more severe in adults 60 years and older and in those with underlying conditions. The virus mainly spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes and an uninfected person breathes in the virus. Signs and symptoms include: Fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea. Please keep in mind that many things can cause respiratory illness, so students and staff should be up-to-date on influenza and routine vaccinations.
Maine DOE or a school representative will contact you directly if your child is identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive. Close contacts who are unvaccinated and not a pooled testing participant will be asked to quarantine from school for 10-full days from last exposure to the positive individual. All unvaccinated close contacts will be asked to quarantine from non-school activities as well. A negative test does not get an individual out of quarantine. Students with no direct contact with the positive individual will continue with in-person instruction.
Maine CDC recommends prevention measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. These measures include proper hand washing with soap and warm water, which is especially important after using the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. When soap and water is not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands and avoid close contact with people who are sick. Stay home while you are sick and avoid close contact with others. Wear a cloth face covering in public indoor spaces, especially if you are not vaccinated. Get a COVID-19 vaccine when it is available to you. When in public, avoid social distances of less than 6 feet and direct physical contact.
For school specific questions please contact Kathy Chamberland, School Nurse, at (207) 757-8206. For general COVID-19 questions, dial 211 (or 1-866-811-5695). You can also text your ZIP code to 898-211 or email info@211maine.org. Call a health care provider for questions about your symptoms. More information can be found at www.maine.gov/dhhs/coronavirus or www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.