BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com

Los Alamos High School principal Carter Payne has announced that a member of the girls basketball team has tested positive for COVID-19. The student was last on campus for practice on Thursday, October and has not been back on campus since then, Payne said in an email to staff, students and parents.

Since the case was reported at 12:30 p.m., LAHS has identified and contacted all individuals who were in close contact with the student, Payne said. A “close contact” is defined as someone who has an exposure of three minutes or longer within six feet of a COVID-positive individual.  Close contacts also include all students and staff in the same classroom or gym with the COVID-positive individual per the New Mexico Public Education Department COVID-19 Response Tool Kit, p.3).  All of the close contacts occurred between the student and girls basketball team coaching staff and players, he said.

Payne said that as required by NMPED and our District, the LAHS Administrative Team has taken the following actions:

• Reported the case to the State of New Mexico (PED and NMDOH)
• Identified and contacted those who were in close contact with the student
• Informed students and staff who were close contacts of the requirement to self-isolate for 14 days 
• Provided close contacts with NMDOH resources for questions
• Informed close contacts of the requirement and process for obtaining COVID testing
• Closed the affected areas of campus for disinfection

“We are communicating the facts clearly, quickly and directly with our Hilltopper community to keep everyone well-informed.  Because the positive case involves a student, it is important to respect and protect her privacy. If there is additional information, we will continue to provide updates directly to you,” Payne said. “If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at (505) 663-2513, or email me at j.payne@laschools.net.”