Newton County Health Department

_____________________________

812 W. Harmony/PO Box 447

Neosho, MO  64850 

Telephone: 417-451-3743Fax: 417-451-1852

Website:  www.newtoncountyhealth.org

December 3, 2020

Citizens of Newton County,

CDC has issued guidelines that allow a reduced quarantine time for those individuals who are
identified as contacts to a positive case of COVID-19. A 14-day quarantine is recommended but
there are circumstances in which the quarantine time can be shortened. The Newton County
Health Department will implement the following circumstances that will shorten the quarantine
time:
    1. Quarantine can end after day 10 without testing if no symptoms have been reported
    during daily monitoring.
    2. When diagnostic testing resources are sufficient and available, then quarantine can
    end after day 7 if a diagnostic specimen tests negative and no symptoms were reported
    during daily monitoring. The specimen may be collected and tested withing 48 hours
    before the time of planned quarantine discontinuation (day 5 or 6). This will allow for
    test results to be received by day 7. If test results are received before day 7, the contact
    cannot be released from quarantine before day 7.
    *Be aware that testing sites may only be testing individuals exhibiting symptoms and
    therefore, tests may not be available. Check with site for availability.

In both cases, continued symptom monitoring and masking/distancing through day 14 must be
met.
These guidelines will apply to all individuals who are contacts to a positive case. However, the
Newton County Health Department reserves the right to evaluate each individual case and
make changes on a case by case basis if circumstances justify changes to protect the health and
well being of the individual and those in the community.
It is suggested that household contacts isolate themselves from the positive household case or
be aware that quarantine time will extend for a longer period of time due to continued contact
with the positive case.

A link to the full CDC guideline text is below.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/scientific-brief-options-to-reduce-quarantine.html

Larry Bergner
Administrator
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER

School Board Election Diamond R-IV School District

Click above to watch the Video from our Veterans Day Luncheon.

Appreciation Video

Check out the video below to see the District's New Telehealth Machine in action.

To learn more about the system and services it provides, CLICK HERE!

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Wildcat Students and Families,

We currently have confirmed 7 student cases (six students at Diamond High School and one student at Diamond Middle School) and one High School teacher case of COVID-19 in our district that have been reported. Individuals who were in close contact with the seven students and teacher who tested positive have been notified to quarantine for 14 days. The district is taking all precautions consistent with the Newton County Health Department requirements and recommendations and they are also monitoring all of our quarantined students. 

Due to the amount of students who have had to be quarantined (62 students at Diamond High School) due to contact tracing we are moving to Phase 4 (no students in-person and all HS students work virtually from home AMI-X) with only our High School students starting Tuesday, September 15 through Wednesday September 23rd.  During this Phase 4 closure we are canceling all high school practices and re-scheduling as many of the planned activities as possible to later dates. Our Crowder students will also work virtually during this time and their Crowder teachers will contact them.

Due to privacy requirements, we cannot release the names of the students and teacher or details that may identify them. We are continuing to monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed. We have created a Diamond R-IV COVID-19 Dashboard that will be updated regularly at the following link at https://www.diamondwildcats.org/vnews/display.v/ART/5f5fb29f65d97

All Diamond R-IV students and staff need to bring their face masks to school and mask up if they are on the move at any point during the day or cannot stay socially distanced (6 feet away from everyone).  We ask parents to continue to monitor your child for symptoms daily and keep your child home if they show any of the following symptoms: 

● Fever of 100.4 or chills 

● Cough

● Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

● Fatigue

● Muscle or body aches

● Headache

● New loss of taste or smell

● Sore throat

● Congestion or runny nose

● Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

Information about monitoring for symptoms and the rest of our Re-entry and Reopening Guidelines can be found on the COVID tab on our website at https://www.diamondwildcats.org/vnews/display.v/SEC/COVID

Wildcat Strong!  

Dr. Keith White

Superintendent, Diamond R-IV

401 South Main St.

Diamond, MO 64840

kwhite@diamondwildcats.org

(417) 325-5188