Updates on COVID-19 at McLean

RETURNING TO NORMALCY

McLean begins to go back to pre-pandemic way of life

NATALIE VU NEWS EDITOR

Following a fully in-person 2021-22 school year, McLean students and staff are looking forward to what they hope will be a permanent return to pre-pandemic life. As the new school year begins, FCPS schools were no longer required to adhere to mask mandates or social distancing policies.

Returning from a summer in which restrictions were eased and cases significantly declined, McLean is beginning to move past COVID-19. A major difference this year is that contact tracing, a system used to identify and notify those exposed to someone with COVID, is no longer in use.

“We are still keeping track of COVID cases, but the biggest difference is that we are no longer contact tracing this year,” said Assistant Principal Emily Geary, who manages COVID statistics at McLean.

While the loosening of restrictions has allowed for increased flexibility, McLean is still required to follow some COVID-19 protocols. FCPS continues to follow updated CDC guidelines, which include having sufficient ventilation in school, practicing proper hygiene and frequently cleaning surfaces.

“Office of Facilities Management has worked closely with FCPS custodians to ensure their cleaning processes,” the 202223 FCPS Health and Safety Guidance Document says. “FCPS custodians are using an effective disinfectant and sanitizing products to clean our facilities every day.”

FCPS recommends that students and staff remain up to date on vaccinations and stay home if they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. So far, these strategies have been effective in slowing the spread of COVID at McLean.

“We haven’t had a large outbreak since around last spring, but if we were to experience an outbreak, we would go with FCPS and CDC guidelines and follow the necessary procedures,” Geary said.

In a poll of 102 McLean students, 32.4% said they had tested positive for COVID within the past six months. At McLean, the administration typically only receives reports of cases a few times a week.

“I know that some other schools have had mild outbreaks, around 70 cases. We are not even close,” Principal Ellen Reilly said. “I think that just keeping people aware of the number [of cases] so they can make choices is an [important] thing to do.”

During the 2022-23 school year, FCPS will be offering COVID-19 diagnostic testing at no cost for staff and students who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has COVID.

Now that some protocols are no longer in effect, many students and teachers are implementing their own health practices to protect themselves against COVID.

“It’s still important to keep in mind that COVID is still a thing,” junior Melina Turnage said. “Just because masks are not required anymore, we should still be mindful to prevent an outbreak that would [cause] mass disruption.”

When the mask mandate was lifted in March, a majority of students and staff continued to wear their masks through the remainder of the school year. Upon returning to school, however, many students stopped wearing masks. According to the poll, 55.9% of students no longer wear a mask in school and 13.7% wear a mask sometimes.

“If cases rise across the county, I think that FCPS would be willing to say we’re on a mask mandate again, but I think we’re a long way from that,” Reilly said.

Students and staff who continue to wear a mask said they do so not only to protect themselves against COVID-19, but to avoid contracting other viruses. Over the last few months, students and staff have faced concerns regarding with the appearance of new viruses such as monkeypox and increases in cases of the common cold, known at McLean as the “McPlague.”

“I still think it’s important to wash hands and use hand sanitizer when there are no sinks available and to wear a mask if you don’t feel well, whether or not you have COVID,” Turnage said.

Although COVID-19 concerns are subsiding, some students and staff worry about a future outbreak potentially resulting in the return of virtual school.

“I’m still a little concerned about the spread of COVID at school because it could cause cancellations of events,” Turnage said. “I’m also worried that if a big outbreak occurs, [we would] have classes virtually again.”

WE SHOULD STILL BE MINDFUL TO PREVENT AN OUTBREAK THAT WOULD [CAUSE] MASS DISRUPTION.”

- MELINA TURNAGE JUNIOR

COVID-19 AT MCLEAN IN 2022*

Are you still concerned about the spread of COVID? Do you still wear a mask in school?

30.4% Yes Have you had COVID within the last six months?

38.2% yes

61.8% no 55.9%No 13.7% sometimes

*FROM A POLL OF 102 MCLEAN STUDENTS

Yes 32.4% 67.6% No