TWIN FALLS, Idaho — The Twin Falls School District has been back in session for a little more than a week.
The district says so far there have been two confirmed COVID-19 cases, but neither of the confirmed cases was at school while they were symptomatic.
The district says they've already notified those in close contact with the cases and are having them stay home for 14 calendar days.
"We have plans in place for when those cases get reported to us," explained Eva Craner, the district's communications professional. "Teachers are doing a great job of making sure they know which students are sitting close to each other, documenting when they're outside of their normal groups so when we do have those cases we can easily identify who's had close contact and make sure they can stay home from school to protect others."
The district started in-person classes at the yellow level on August 19th.
Craner says it's important for parents to keep kids home when they feel sick because it prevents the spread of COVID-19 and allows the schools to stay open. Medical experts like Dr. Kenny Bramwell, Assistant Medical Director at St. Luke's Children's Hospital, agree.
"What we want to try and do is limit our exposure to other people, particularly when we're sick," Bramwell said. "When we are sick, the best thing to do is stay at home."
The Twin Falls School District is recommending parents do daily health check-ins with their students.
"Ask them how they're feeling," said Eva Craner, the district's public information officer. "Do they have a cough, a runny nose, a sore throat?"
The district says if a student calls out sick, they won't be penalized for it. Instead, the district will work with them to make sure they get caught up.
"We've eliminated all of our policies this year for attendance requirements," said Dr. Brady Dickinson, Superintendent of the district. "We're not going to have those incentives in place for attendance. We want people to feel comfortable keeping their kids home when they don't feel well."
If you're ever unsure what to look for, you can check out St. Luke's online COVID-19 checker.
