Cimarron County school begins COVID-19 procedures despite low positivity rate

BOISE CITY, Okla. - Cimarron County, neighboring Texas County to the west, has been nearly unaffected by the coronavirus pandemic in comparison to the rest of the state. As of yesterday, the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) has reported Cimarron County as having the third-lowest number of cases in the state, with only 25 cumulative confirmed cases, 22 recovered and no deaths.

However, many believe the virus could spread quickly in such small communities.

Boise City, Okla., the seat of Cimarron County, is home to the largest of only two school districts in the county. In an abundance of caution, the school district decided to postpone reopening for nearly two weeks and returned for the fall semester on August 31, 2020. Since the beginning of the school year, the Boise City School District has developed some process

es to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 within the schools as well as the rest of the close-knit community.

On Monday, September 28, Boise City Public Schools Superintendent Bob Cochran announced that all students would be screened for COVID-19 symptoms before entering school buildings or boarding buses. Those who exhibit symptoms or develop them throughout the day will be isolated until a parent can pick them up from school. While the students will be screened, the staff will be responsible for self-monitoring their symptoms and taking the appropriate actions if any symptoms are recognized.

In addition, the announcement stated that anyone who leaves school due to COV

ID-19 symptoms and needs to get tested must quarantine for at least ten days or present a negative test result to return to school sooner. For COVID-19 absences to be excused by the school, students and staff must show proof of a positive COVID-19 test result or a recommendation from a doctor or the state health department.

Ultimately, the OSDH determines who must quarantine or isolate themselves due to positive tests or exposure to the virus, and the school district is only responsible for enforcing quarantine protocols during school and on school property. “The district does have some regulatory safety responsibilities, but ultimately most COVID-19 containment practices come down to the personal responsibility of individuals,” Cochran wrote.