8th graders in Anniston sent home for 10 days after student shows symptoms of COVID-19

ANNISTON, Ala. (WBRC) - Anniston’s school superintendent says he handled a COVID-19 scare this week with an abundance of caution.

Tuesday, an eighth grade student at Anniston Middle School presented symptoms of COVID-19.

The normal protocol would be to send home anyone who could have come in contact with that student, but instead the superintendent, Dr. Ray Hill, and the principal sent home the entire eighth grade for 10 days.

They also sent home some students from Cobb pre-K, since there was a family connection with the middle school student.

“We still have the eighth graders at home because we still don’t have any confirmation. The individual did test negative, but to be on the safe side because again, we don’t have all the answers. We could have symptoms today and not have symptoms tomorrow,” Hill said.

The superintendent says he knows he’ll upset people either way he decides, because all parents want their children safe.

But many parents have work situations that could prevent them from watching after their children.

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