GFPS reports record high COVID-19 cases, will announce updates on closures Sunday

Tribune Staff
·2 min read
Erica Harp, lead nurse for Great Falls Public Schools, draws up a dose of the pediatric Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine during the Alluvion vaccine clinic at Paris Gibson Education Center in December.
Erica Harp, lead nurse for Great Falls Public Schools, draws up a dose of the pediatric Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine during the Alluvion vaccine clinic at Paris Gibson Education Center in December.

Great Falls Public Schools announced a record-high number of COVID-19 cases among students and staff and will be holding a Facebook Live on Sunday to update the community on the status of school closures for the upcoming week, according to a press release Friday.

As of Friday, GFPS has a record-high number of COVID-19 cases among students and staff, reporting 273 cases for the week ending on Jan. 14.

“As a School District, we are once again faced with making decisions based on the best available data we have at the time,” the release read.

The district is analyzing the infection and isolation rates of staff to determine whether they will have adequate staffing to reopen schools safely on Tuesday.

“Due to the ever-changing dynamics of this current COVID-19 Variant, it is apparent that we need to wait until Sunday afternoon, when we will look at the updated employee data to make an informed decision about school reopening,” the release read.

More: Coronavirus update: CCHD's weekly report sees spike in COVID-19 cases in Cascade County

The Facebook Live event will be held at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 16 and can be accessed at facebook.com/GreatFallsPublicSchools.

The Great Falls Public Schools Nursing Department will be offering onsite rapid testing and PCR testing exclusively for symptomatic individuals on Monday, Jan. 17, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Great Falls High School.

Symptomatic COVID-19: general cold or flu symptoms, sore throat, cough, fevers, body aches, chills, GI symptoms, new loss of taste or smell.

GFPS said due to supply issues they will not be testing asymptomatic individuals.

The district said to park in front of the doors to the HUB entrance (main entrance off of 20th St S). Look for signs indicating testing parking spots.

This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: GFPS sees record high COVID-19 cases, will update on closures Sunday