No changes to Savannah-Chatham schools’ COVID policy after holiday break

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Savannah-Chatham County Superintendent Dr. Ann Levett says COVID protocol will remain unchanged after the holiday break.

Superintendent Levett says that decision comes after looking at a significant rise in COVID transmission since the first of December.

Dr. Levett says the plan right now is to maintain a safe healthy learning environment, so all schools will remain open five days a week.

That said, Dr. Levett added with the current rate of infections, more staff may be out which could result in rolling closures.

Because of that, the school system is asking all parents to have an emergency plan worked out if their child’s school does have to close. School district leaders have been looking to a medical advisory committee for guidance throughout the pandemic, and right now that committee is urging school leaders to wait to revisit COVID mitigation strategies until at least two weeks after the holiday break.

“We’re not looking to make any major changes. We are looking to keep reminding people to be safe, to wear their mask, keep their hands clean, to social distance when possible, and also to make sure that they continue to seek guidance from medical professionals when they’re not feeling well. And we ask people to follow the quarantine protocols that have been established,” Dr. Levett said.

Dr. Levett says they had about 85 percent of staff back to work after the holiday break. As of mid-December, just over 4,700 school system employees were vaccinated.

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