FORT MYERS, Fla. — With COVID cases rising and Lee County students back in class Monday, Lee County Schools has implemented new safety protocols.
Some of the new protocols include:
- Grab and Go meals
- Canceling all January field trips
- Limiting attending indoor extracurricular activities
- No visitors on campus during school hours
The district said they are prepared if there is an outbreak of COVID in schools.
After facing many questions parents have about the 2022 COVID plans, the school District of Lee County has an answer. With the spread of Omicron variant, the district announced it will be in the high community transmission phase.
"Because of the high transmission in the community, we've increased some of the protocols we have for COVID. These are things we have already done before," spokesperson Rob Spicker said.
Spicker said these protocols can be best seen in a flow chart sent to Lee County parents. It also explains what happens if a student gets COVID.
"So if a student is positive and symptomatic, then they have a couple of things they can do. They have to get tested and they do have to isolate and they have to quarantine and then the protocols dictate when they can come back," Spicker said.
With the protocol laid out, all but one of the 11 parents Fox 4 spoke to said they were concerned about their child getting COVID as they head back to school.
"They already have their shots and everything like that so we are all pretty much safe," Juan Falcon said.
"The safety. Some of them wear masks, some of them do not so that's the question we have. Some of them have the vaccine, some do not and some of them do not want it. So that's a problem," Simon Pirre said.
High transmission strategies have already begun today January 3 and will go into full effect on Wednesday, January 5.
Lee County Schools is also recommending every child wear a mask. Under state rules they do not have to and remote learning is not allowed. Lee County leaders said there will be homework help offered if COVID means a student has to stay home.
