Lead Ed

SO FAR SO GOOD

Trinity’s COVID response has been effective — it’s up to us to keep it that way

The 2020-2021 school year has been a tu- occurrence of off-campus behavior.” masks, do their best to stay away from other multuous one, to say the least. However, it In January, Trinity saw its first major uptick students and stay safe outside of school.” has gone better than many expected. At the in case numbers, which ultimately led to the Trinity appears to have recognized that it is beginning of the school year, it would have entire seventh grade being quarantined. Her- impossible to control the actions of students been difficult to fathom we would stay open ron explained that there were primarily two and faculty off-campus, which is why measures past Labor Day. Now in March, we are still factors that went into this decision. First, after have been put into place like remote days after going strong and have experienced minimal a large number of positive cases in the seventh school breaks. Granted, the online days after outbreaks to date. While it has not been per- grade alone, the decision to quarantine the winter break probably didn’t do much, as two fect, this speaks to the effectiveness of Trinity’s grade was made to combat the spread of the days isn’t enough time for symptoms to develresponse to COVID-19. virus. Secondly, with a significant amount of op. Neither did the fact that teachers were re Though some may argue it is still safer to the grade quarantined as a result of contract quired to get tested, but were allowed to return go online completely, tracing anyway, a grade- before the results came back. Trinity is doing its best “We have pretty good evi- wide quarantine made it However, any policies that even minimally to provide what it con siders as the best possi - dence that many of the cases easier on the teachers as well. increase protection against COVID-19 and don’t take away from too much time in-person ble learning experience have been an occurence of “When it gets up to learning should be embraced. The school has for students. There have been a variety of proceoff-campus behavior.” the area of around 35 to 40% of the class being also rolled out optional testing for the student body and faculty in tandem with UCF and dures in place to curb - Dennis Herron, Associate out or quarantined by alumna and computational biologist Pardis the spread of the virus, Head of School us, then we’re going to Sabeti. While the effectiveness of in-school and for the most part, be looking at [quaran- testing is yet to be seen, it certainly can’t hurt. they have been success- tining the entire grade],” Ultimately, Trinity is doing all that it can to ful, with only 37 reported positive cases as Herron said. provide the most normal year possible to those of March 1, according to Associate Head of If an outbreak like this occurs, it’s easy to who seek it. And for those who feel unsafe, School Dennis Herron. Yet, even this number point fingers and blame the school for any or would like to be unsafe outside of school, is slightly inflated as it includes all those who possible mistakes it made. However, this inci- the option to go online remains. As the school tested positive, even if they never came onto dent shows that if push comes to shove, the year is reaching its final months, it is everyone’s campus or exposed anyone else. school is ready to send large numbers of stu- hope that we can remain open. But whether

The school’s implementation of contact trac- dents home to limit the chances of more get- we are able to or not is up to the student body ing, in particular, airs on the side of caution. ting infected. This seems to have worked, as and our actions off-campus. For example, many athletes have gone online the seventh grade has since returned and case to avoid getting contact traced and missing numbers have subsided. games, not out of fear of actually contracting If anyone is to blame for an outbreak, it the virus. At times the contract tracing has is the student body for our actions outside been so extensive that large portions of various of school. The majority of the positive cases grades have been sent home, but to the best of this school year have resulted from off-campus our knowledge, the policy has been effective in behavior, namely a few super-spreader events, curbing the spread of the virus. where social distancing and appropriate mea-

“We have little evidence that there has been sures weren’t being taken. a significant transmission on campus,” Herron “I think the school can play a part in presaid. “I can’t say that it has never been trans- venting an outbreak,” sophomore Sophia Lamitted on campus, but we have pretty good mar said. “But at the end of the day, it’s the evidence that many of the cases have been an students who need to commit to wearing The lead editorial expresses the opinion of the Trinity Voice editorial staff. Please send commenets to voice@trinityprep.org