Malden Supt. of Schools announces new COVID-19 response strategy for school health personnel

Recommending focus on identifying symptomatic individuals and limiting close contact tracing for in-school contacts

  Malden Supt. of Schools Dr. Ligia Noriega-Murphy on Wednesday announced a new COVID-19 strategy for the district, as it pertains to the duties of school health personnel. “We are recommending that school health personnel increase their focus on identifying symptomatic individuals, rather than monitoring in-school close contacts who are unlikely to contract or spread the virus,” Supt. Noriega-Murphy stated in an email message distributed to the parents and caregivers of the more than 6,300 students in the Malden Public Schools.

  The Superintendent stated that the decision to shift focus in the mission of combating the spread and transmission of the Coronavirus came after consultation with the Malden Board of Health, and in conjunction with the latest COVID-19 recommendation from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). (See separate story.)

  Supt. Noriega-Murphy said she has been in frequent and consistent contact with the Malden Board of Health and other city officials and through these discussions the Malden Public Schools is “constantly re-evaluating the need for contact tracing.”

  “Malden Public Schools is to limit contact tracing for in-school contact in the coming weeks,” Dr. Noriega-Murphy stated in her email message. “This shift will allow our nurses to focus their efforts identifying positives in school, guiding and supporting families and staff that have positive cases.”

  The reconfiguring of the COVID-19 response strategy toward limiting contact tracing is in line with requests from the Malden Public Schools nurses for help from administration in addressing what they say is a massive increase in their overall workload since the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic.

  A spike in positive COVID-19 cases throughout the world has increased cases both statewide and locally (See separate story) – with Malden Public School nurses the first line of response for sick and/or symptomatic students and staff, as well as follow-up duties. A spokesperson for the school nurses specifically cited the time-consuming practice of contact tracing for positive cases among students and staff that is being undertaken and monitored across the district, when speaking during the public comment segment of the last Malden School Committee meeting on January 10.

  At that meeting, Supt. Noriega-Murphy said she and her central staff would be addressing the nurses’ situation and requests as they pertained to COVID-19 response districtwide. Wednesday’s announcement is likely a part of the district’s response to the nursing staff’s request.

  In addition to the change in priority of contact tracing policy for the Malden Public Schools, Supt. Noriega-Murphy also reiterated the continuance of standing protocols to help ensure the safety and well-being of students and staff:

• We urge everyone to continue to monitor for any COVID 19 symptoms each day before coming to school.
• If your student is experiencing any symptoms – they should remain at home and not attend school.
• If a staff member is experiencing any symptoms – they should remain at home and not report to school.
• We will be sending more information as soon as DESE shares detailed guidance with us.
• If you have any questions, please contact your school nurses.