MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Manatee County families, school employees and the community will now have access to the latest information on positive COVID-19 cases in schools across the district.
School officials say the district's COVID-19 dashboard will launch Thursday night. Once it's launched, you'll be able to access the dashboard on the district's website here.
The district says it has refrained from releasing details related to confirmed COVID-19 cases during the first three weeks of school due to HIPPA and FERPA privacy concerns.
On Monday, Aug. 31, the Florida Dept. of Health released a memo in regards to this concern, stating:
The information, which remains confidential, is only provided to the school, college or university for use to the extent necessary to implement and enforce effective disease control measures, such as student exclusion and self-isolation/quarantine necessary for COVID-19 control.
The district says the dashboard balances protecting the confidentiality of students and staff who test positive and the need for informing the public. The district says this dashboard is similar to others implemented in school districts across Florida.
The COVID-19 dashboard will show the number of confirmed cases in individual Manatee County schools dating back to the first day of school on Aug. 17.
“The dashboard will help our parents and employees understand how COVID-19 is impacting our schools and school district on a daily basis as well as over time,” said Superintendent Cynthia Saunders. “We are still committed to protecting the medical privacy rights of individuals impacted by COVID-19, and we believe the dashboard will provide useful insight while also protecting individual confidentiality.”
District leaders say that they will individually contact those who are directly exposed to someone who tested positive COVID-19 and the school will send out a phone message or email to all employees and parents informing them of the positive case or cases.
You can find a list of positive COVID-19 cases reported in Tampa Bay schools here.
- Florida approved for $300 federal unemployment payments, but the money won’t last long
- Florida cuts ties with Quest Diagnostics after lab failed to report nearly 75K COVID-19 test results
- Fans disappointed in Bucs decision to start season without them, but health experts say it was the right call
- Straz, Tampa Theatre among large Hillsborough County venues approved for CARES relief money
- Can someone get the coronavirus twice?
►Breaking news and weather alerts: Get the free 10 Tampa Bay app
►Stay In the Know! Sign up now for the Brightside Blend Newsletter
