Dear Montgomery Virtual Academy Community,

This letter is to inform you that we were notified that a staff member who was last present onsite at the Montgomery Virtual Academy on Thursday, December 16, 2021 tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on Monday, December 20, 2021. We were notified on Monday, December 20, 2022 of the positive test. Following Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) guidelines, we notified individuals who were known to have close contact with this individual and have informed them to get tested and monitor for symptoms, per CDC guidelines.

As a result of our contact tracing process, we have notified close contacts directly and informed them of whether they need to quarantine based on current DHHS requirements. Please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/contact-tracing/contact-tracing-plan/appendix.html#contact for additional information on how the CDC, MCPS and DHHS, defines and identifies close contacts.

We encourage you to closely monitor for symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, cough, headache, and shortness of breath. If you or your child develops any of these symptoms, please remain at home. You should contact your healthcare provider and get tested for COVID-19. Individuals who develop symptoms, or test positive for COVID-19, will not be able to return to the building until they are medically cleared.

As a reminder, here are the steps that we can all take to keep ourselves, families, and school community safe:

• Get vaccinated when eligible
• Wear a mask, or appropriate face covering, at all times when in school and other public spaces.
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, especially before and after eating.
• Cover your cough and/or sneeze and immediately wash your hands for 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer.
• Stay home if you are sick or have any COVID-19 symptoms.

Please visit https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/coronavirus and https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/ for additional information on COVID-19 resources, including free COVID-19 testing and COVID-19 vaccination sites.

We appreciate your cooperation as we work to maintain a safe and healthy school environment.