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CAHS Parent Who Attended May 21 Hybrid Graduation Tests Positive for COVID-19

The entrance to Charlotte Amalie High School is lined with a hand-painted wall. (Source photo by Bethaney Lee)

The Virgin Islands Department of Health confirmed on Monday, May 24, that a parent who attended the Charlotte Amalie High School hybrid graduation ceremony has tested positive for COVID-19.

According to health officials, the parent’s exposure period began prior to their attendance at the May 21 ceremony on the CAHS campus; the infection did not originate at the graduation.

The school’s 222 graduates and their parents were separated into cohorts that were housed in three locations on the campus until their scheduled procession to an outdoor stage where students would receive their diploma and be greeted by dignitaries.

Safety protocols were strictly enforced throughout the ceremony, with temperature checks conducted at all entrances, and sanitization with soap and water and/or hand sanitizer made available to attendees. All guests and students were also required to wear a face mask at all times.

The Department of Health continues to conduct contact tracing of guests who may have come in close contact with the affected parent.

Prior to the May 20 graduation ceremony for Ivanna Eudora Kean High School, the Department of Health informed Department of Education officials that three seniors—one from CAHS and two from IEKHS—had tested positive for COVID-19. Those students and at least 10 others were prohibited from participating in the May 20 and May 21 graduation ceremonies.

Anyone who attended the CAHS graduation ceremony on May 21 and is concerned about exposure to COVID-19, should contact the Department of Health’s epidemiology hotline at 776-1519 or 712-6299, or call a private physician for further guidance.

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