An 11-year-old Spring Grove School student suffered a medical emergency at the school Oct. 19, and is now hospitalized in critical condition, according to authorities. The student tested positive for Covid-19.
The sixth-grade student was transported from Spring Grove School—located off Fairview Road in northeast Hollister—to Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, according to a press release from San Benito County. The child was later flown to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford.
The student was listed in critical condition as of Wednesday night, says the press release. “The student, family and Spring Grove staff and students remain in our thoughts during this critical time,” the county press release said.
San Benito County Public Health Services confirmed that the student tested positive for Covid-19, and authorities will continue to trace the child’s contacts and conduct an investigation into the incident.
County officials further noted that earlier this month, 72 Spring Grove School students attended a science camp in Santa Cruz County. Upon returning from the camp, which took place Oct. 4-7, three students tested positive for Covid-19.
All 72 students who attended the camp quarantined for 10 days after they returned to San Benito County, according to county officials.
“Public Health Services assures that all those in close contact with the hospitalized student and cases from the camp were notified of their exposure and quarantined in accordance with the Covid-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools in California,” says the press release.
The state public health guidance for the 2021-22 school year found online at https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/K-12-Guidance-2021-22-School-Year.aspx.
In addition, non-school contacts were also notified and continue to practice standard precautions and self-monitoring for Covid-19 symptoms, regardless of vaccination status, says the county’s press release.
San Benito County Public Health Services and other providers are administering Covid-19 vaccines to people age 12 and older. The county expects federal authorities to approve emergency use of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine for children as young as 5 by next month.
For more information about the Covid-19 vaccine, visit covid19.ca.gov/vaccines/.
To schedule a Covid-19 vaccine appointment, visit the state’s MyTurn vaccine appointment system at myturn.ca.gov/ or call 1.833.422.4255.
