What Loveland community members need to know about Loveland City Schools’ COVID numbers as they begin week four of hybrid learning

by Hannah Roberts Gwynne

  • As reported Friday September 18 on the LCS database, one bus driver was confirmed to have tested positive with one close student-contact reported. Additionally, there are two “community cases” reported on their site. These cases include Loveland residents who have reported a positive case to LCS. Students and staff who are isolated or quarantined will also be considered “community cases,” according to Dr. Amy Crouse, superintendent. “If isolation or quarantine has ended and individuals have returned to school, they will no longer be reported as a community case,” says Crouse.
  • In August, two unnamed Loveland High School student athletes tested positive for COVID-19 resulting in 136 people self-quarantining, according to Dr. Crouse. An official report of this incident was never sent out to the public. The two teams were the high school men’s football and women’s soccer teams. A total 23 staff members and 113 students were involved and required to quarantine. This data was made available on the Loveland City Schools (LCS) page around two months later in September right before Labor Day weekend. The school alerted the families involved at the time of the reported cases. Since classes were not in session in August, LCS only sent the information to the people who needed it, according to Crouse.
  • The amount of time that students and staff must quarantine depends on whether they have tested positive or just had exposure to a sick person, according to new health protocols listed on the Loveland Schools site. If a positive case were reported to an administrator at LCS, the required self-quarantine would only be 10 days, according to the protocols. However, if a person had been confirmed to be in contact (within six feet for 15 minutes or more), they must self-quarantine for 14 days. “Those are Hamilton County rules,” said Dr. Amy Crouse. “It’s not my decision, but it’s my understanding that it can take up to 14 days to show symptoms if you’re in close contact. Those are protocols developed by Hamilton County.” These rules correspond with CDC guidelines.
  • LCS plans on returning to full-capacity schooling in October. Students will return to five days a week.
  • In order to find the school’s COVID-19 data, go to Loveland City Schools home page, click the tab “Reopening Plan.” On the left-hand side, it will say “COVID-19 Data Update.” Click there. At the very bottom of that page, click the link to their document that tracks the numbers.