COVID-19 case reported at Columbia Falls High School

Four days into the school year, Columbia Falls School District is dealing with its first case of COVID-19.

In a letter to parents Thursday, the district said “an individual associated with the district had a confirmed positive test for COVID-19. According to the Flathead City-County Health Department, the district’s staff and students were in contact with the individual during the period of possible exposure.”

Superintendent Dave Wick said the school and health officials have completed contact tracing and about 20 individuals at the high school have been quarantined as a precaution.

The quarantined individuals were within 6 feet of the person, he noted. Wick declined to comment on whether that included any staffers at the school.

The infected person was at the high school and is the only one with symptoms at this point, he added. They were last at school Aug. 31.

Students who are quarantined will be afforded remote learning, Wick said.

Other than the quarantine, classes at the school are going as usual, he noted. The school has been requiring that all students and staff wear masks with few exceptions. Sports teams don’t wear masks while playing or practicing, for example.

The district has also been prescreening students for fever and other symptoms before they’re allowed to enter.