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January 12, 2022

Dear Brunswick Staff, Students, and Families:

This is an update to Brunswick School Department Health and Safety procedures.

Close Contact Notifications
Today, the Maine CDC updated the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) which guides the district’s response to COVID in schools.  Per this SOP revision, the district will no longer contact trace staff and students who test positive for COVID.  This means we will continue to operate pooled testing, will continue to administer BinaxNOW follow-up testing to individuals in positive pools, will continue to require those who test positive to isolate, and will continue to report that data to the Maine CDC.  We also ask that you continue to notify your school nurse if you test positive for COVID.  However, the district will no longer notify individuals if they are a close contact of a positive case.  

COVID Home Tests
The district has continued to review the practice of accepting COVID home tests.  The district will now accept the results of positive COVID home tests.  This is because (1) there is a shortage of tests available in the community, (2) the methodology used that generates a positive test is reliable, and (3) it is safer for positive individuals to isolate than to venture into the community for a confirmation test.  The district will report positive results from COVID home tests in local data but is still not able to report them to the Maine CDC.  The district is still not able to accept negative COVID home tests.  Individuals who test positive with a COVID home test should continue to notify their school nurse as well as their medical provider.

These changes take effect immediately.

Thanks for your support during this rapidly evolving pandemic.

Sincerely,
Shawn Lambert
Assistant Superintendent