Cathedral preschooler tests positive for COVID-19; some students quarantined

Published 5:17 pm Monday, August 24, 2020

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NATCHEZ — A Cathedral preschool student tested positive for COVID-19 and parents of students who may have been in contact with that student were notified Monday and advised to quarantine their children for 14 days since their last contact with the positive student.

“The child has not been in school for quite some time, but we have disinfected the classroom,” said Norm Yvon, Cathedral School lead administrator. “We disinfect the school every day. The classroom is being thoroughly disinfected again. We’ve quarantined anybody who has been in close contact with the student, and we have notified the entire school that there was a case in the school just so that everyone is aware.”

Yvon said the student had been out approximately seven days prior to testing positive because a family member had tested positive for COVID-19.

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“The child was quarantined,” Yvon said. “Then he or she later tested positive.”

Yvon said Monday’s incident was the first COVID-19 case the school has had in the elementary school since school started back two weeks ago. However, the school had a COVID-19 issue in the high school earlier.

“The situation was a lot different so the people who needed to know were notified,” Yvon said of the high school COVID-19 quarantine. “The school was disinfected. We continue with our practice of wearing masks and washing our hands as often as possible and maintaining social distance.”

Yvon said, other than the affected students, classes continue on.

“Part of our plan in getting together, particularly in the elementary school, was keeping cohorts as separate as possible in case something happens the contact is as limited as possible so it doesn’t get to the whole school,” Yvon said. “We are continuing to be diligent and following our plan, and we appreciate the support of our parents and the school community.”