SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – Contact tracing is nothing new amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but some parents in Sarasota County aren’t so sure the process in schools is working as it should.

8 On Your Side heard from two parents who didn’t find out their children were supposed to be quarantined until more than 10 days after the exposure.

For mother of two and healthcare worker Paulina Testerman, the call from the county health department came 11 days after her 14-year-old son was potentially exposed to COVID-19 at Sarasota High School.

“I got a call on Tuesday afternoon from the health department and they were informing me that my son should have been quarantined for the past 11 days which was shocking because he has been out and he has been at soccer practice,” said Testerman. “We would have been much more cautious and careful had we had known that he was exposed,” she explained.

Testerman admits she was in disbelief.

“It is harrowing, it is unsettling. My patients are important to me and the thought of our son being exposed and potentially exposing us, it causes a domino effect in our life,” said the mother of two. “To know that I could have limited his contact with others and I didn’t. If something would’ve happened, we would’ve been devastated. We would have been heartbroken,” she continued.

She posted her family’s experience on Facebook and quickly learned she wasn’t alone.

“If this was an extenuating circumstance, my file got lost.. no problem, mistakes happen, but this may be happening more often then we are being informed of,” said Testerman.

Caprill Hembree is a mother of three in Sarasota County. She tells 8 On Your Side she wasn’t notified her student was exposed until 20 days later.

“If you’re not gonna do it in a timely fashion, then I mean, what is the point to call somebody a month later?” said Hembree. “Where is the communication breakdown and how do we fix that?”

8 On Your Side brought these parents’ concerns directly to the school district and the Sarasota Department of Health. The two work together to notify families of possible exposures and parents should receive initial calls from both.

DOH officials say they have not seen a trend in delayed contact tracing, but it is possible there was a backlog.

“We definitely don’t want people to be completely missed. It is possible, but we definitely don’t want that to happen,” said Sarasota FDOH Disease Intervention Services Program Manager Michael Drennon.

“It is definitely something we want to look into and find out what happened. We don’t always reach everyone, but our priority is the kids in our schools. So I just want find out what caused this person to not get their initial phone call,” said Drennon.

The Sarasota County School District sent 8 On Your Side the following statement.

“Quarantining is determined by the DOH. Their quarantining instructions vary depending on how each case is individually traced. District health teams have been assisting the DOH to help them contact trace & determine potential exposure risk to employees & students. Working through and improving the contact tracing process is ongoing work for the district and the DOH, as each case presents differently and health guidelines continue to adjust as the CDC learns more about COVID-19.

The district cannot compel employees or students to go get a COVID test, nor can the district compel employees or students to share test results. The district is primarily notified of positive cases by the DOH – some positive cases are discovered after an employee or student goes to one of the DOH testing sites; other times employees or students self-report to the district after they (the student or employee) are contacted by a friend/DOH/other entity that they  may be a contact of a potential positive or confirmed positive COVID case. The district team assisting the DOH with contact tracing inputs all available information into the dashboard – which is shared with the DOH and school communities – to help all keep apprised of positive cases and quarantines.

The district takes the health and safety of our employees and students very seriously. Our district’s school cleaning efforts have always been stringent, even more so amidst the pandemic. Our custodial teams remain dedicated to keeping our school communities as safe as possible:

  • Enhanced cleaning and sanitizing: Measures have been implemented to ensure that common work areas and equipment, and personal workspaces, are regularly cleaned and sanitized. The Office of Facilities Services & Management (OFSM) has worked closely with SCS custodians to adjust their cleaning processes to better address current considerations. SCS custodians are using effective disinfectant and sanitizing products to clean our facilities every day. Along with these measures, they are taking the following steps to maximize our sanitizing efforts:
    • Refreshed Cleaning Methods/Processes – SCS cleaning personnel have been sanitizing and disinfecting restrooms more frequently. Their cleaning protocol includes thoroughly disinfecting and sanitizing all surfaces, doors, toilets, handles, etc. and ensuring that all supplies are always fully stocked.
    • Increased Cleaning to High-Touch Surfaces/Points – SCS cleaning crews have been sanitizing touch surfaces/points thoroughly (i.e., door handles, glass, elevators buttons, doors, tables, chairs, light switches) nightly. In addition, daytime custodians have been instructed to continuously disinfect and sanitize all touch points throughout the day. We have increased daytime custodian coverage where appropriate, depending on building occupancy.
    • Surface Treatment – Anti-Microbial – OMNISHIELD (a long lasting anti-microbial disinfectant which provides durable, long term protection that kills and inhibits the growth of problematic bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms) has & will be applied periodically by SCS cleaning crews. ONNISHIELD uses safe, non-toxic, EPA registered products. It requires no rinsing or wiping with application. Unlike other antimicrobials, the efficacy remains for a long period of time and protects surfaces between cleanings

The school district and the DOH did notice an increase in cases among school-age children after returning from winter break; however, the DOH has noted that there continues to be limited evidence of transmission in the school setting. The bulk of transmission appears to be associated with case contact outside of schools. Our school communities continue to encourage their staff members, teachers, students, and families alike to follow best health practices and guidelines both inside and outside of school/work.”