Sharon Reports Staff Coronavirus Case At Heights Elementary

SHARON, MA — Sharon Public Schools reported on Saturday that a staff member at Heights Elementary School has tested positive for coronavirus, the district's third new positive case in the last week.

According to a letter to families from Superintendent of Schools Meg Dussault, those who came in close contact with the staff member have been notified and the school will continue to help the affected individuals.

"Though we cannot provide specific information about our community member who tested positive, your child was not a close contact (defined as being within 6 feet of the person for at least 15 minutes) of the affected person," wrote Dussault. "We ask that you all continue to monitor your child on a daily basis for symptoms, and keep your child home if he/she/they shows any symptoms or is not feeling well."

The new positive case comes just days after the district reported staff COVID-19 case at East Elementary School on Tuesday and a student COVID-19 case at Sharon High School on Thursday.

Sharon Public Schools are scheduled to begin their COVID-19 testing initiative on Monday, which will run until Thursday, Feb. 4. The district will be using the Ginkgo Bioworks Concentric pooled testing pilot program and will require a consent form for each participant.

"I hope you will join me in participating in this pilot," said Dussault in a letter to the school community. "It is a wonderful opportunity to gather information that will only serve to further secure everyone's safety."

According to the latest statistics released by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health on Thursday, Sharon has experienced a total of 475 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 80 reported in the two weeks leading up to Jan. 7. The town has an average daily incidence rate of 31.3 and a 4.62% positivity rate, an increase from last week's average daily incidence rate of 27 and 4.14% positivity rate.