September 22, 2020
Dear Families/Staff,
We were notified by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) of two lab confirmed cases of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) in two members of the Onamia Public Schools community.
We are working with MDH to identify those who have had close contact with the cases, and are communicating with them individually. The risk of exposure for other individuals present in the building on those dates is no greater than the risk of contracting the virus in the general community.
For privacy reasons, we can’t share many details about the status of the persons that tested positive. At this time they are either staying home and/or working at home for at least 10 days, and any staff who have been in close contact with them have been notified that they must also stay home and/or work from home for 14 days. If you have not been contacted, you are not considered to be at higher risk, and there is nothing additional you need to do.
We have taken action to clean and sanitize the facility and are working closely with MDH to monitor the situation. To minimize further exposure, we continue to recommend implementation of the following strategies:
- Stay at least 6 feet from other people. Do not gather in groups and stay out of crowded places. If attending meetings, maintain sufficient spacing in conference rooms.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a mask or cloth face covering, if you are medically able to, when in common areas and when staying 6 feet from others is difficult.
- Wash your hands often, especially when in public places. As an alternative, use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
- Stay home if you are sick. Be alert for symptoms, which can include cough, shortness of breath, fever, headache, chills, muscle pain, and loss of taste or smell.
- If your age or underlying medical conditions put you at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19, follow the CDC’s guidance for People Who Need Extra Precautions .
- Visit the Protecting Yourself and Your Family page of the MDH website to learn more.
What to do if you may be infected with COVID-19:
Symptoms of COVID-19 can include fever, cough, and shortness of breath, chills, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, or loss of taste or smell. Other less common symptoms include gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. These symptoms may appear 2-14 days after you are exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19. Not everyone with COVID-19 has all of these symptoms, and some people may not have any symptoms. Talk to your health care provider if you have questions or concerns about symptoms.
The Is it COVID-19? Website is Minnesota’s tool for identifying symptoms and when to seek medical help.
If you are positive for COVID-19, contact your human resource manager. They will help determine what next steps you need to take. Any personal health information employees provide to human resources will be maintained confidentially.
- Stay at home for at least 10 days, and for 24 hours with no fever and improvement of other symptoms (Your fever should be gone for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medicine).
- Use the CDC website on how to Care for yourself at Home with COVID-19.
- If your household contacts were exposed to you while you had symptoms, they should try to stay home as much as possible for 14 days.
This is a challenging time and I know many of you may be feeling stress or anxiety. We will get through this together as a community, and will be stronger when we emerge.
Resources that you may find valuable are:
