Ensley Elementary student positive for COVID-19 on second day of school

A student at Ensley Elementary School in Pensacola has reported being positive for the coronavirus on the second day of school, district officials confirmed to the News Journal on Tuesday night. 

The parent of the student reported to the school that the child was positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, according to Superintendent Malcolm Thomas. The child attended school Monday, but not Tuesday. 

The child's grade level is being withheld due to student privacy concerns. 

“This case was reported to us by the parent, and so our protocol is that we accept that at face value and then we’ll get the confirmation,” Thomas said. “That student has to stay isolated, and we followed protocol. We notified the parents that were around that student so that they are aware.”

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District protocol also calls for anyone who was in contact with an infected individual for more than 15 minutes, within six feet and while not wearing a mask, to self-isolate for at least 10 days. Thomas said none of the students or staff who came into contact met those descriptors and will not be forced to self-isolate, as they were all wearing masks appropriately and were socially distanced in their classroom. 

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The school has seating charts for the classrooms and buses so they are able to quickly find out with whom the student was in contact and inform those people quickly. 

“That’s why it’s important we keep the distance, why when we get closer than that we have to wear face coverings for both staff and students,” Thomas said. “In my rounds at school, I’m telling you, our students are really complying. I was at three different high schools today, and I was really impressed. From the beginning of the morning, they’re getting out of their cars and putting on their masks.”

Annie Blanks can be reached at ablanks@pnj.com or 850-435-8632.