MCPS will stop COVID-19 contact tracing

On April 26, MCPS sent out a community letter detailing a change to MCPS’s coronavirus policy. Beginning May 2, when a MCPS student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, individuals in close contact will no longer be identified or individually informed. Instead, messages will be sent out at the classroom, grade or school level, depending on which level is the most appropriate.

In the case of a COVID-19 outbreak, MCPS will “conduct contact tracing and inform the school community of additional mitigation strategies.” 

This decision was made based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Maryland Department of Health (MDH). 

Blazer Arianna Jones believes that this change could make the school less safe, but wasn’t too noteworthy of a change. “I think it might be a little bit unsafe but I didn’t even know about this— it wasn’t brought to anyone’s attention,” Jones says.