Jade Anderson asks school board members to consider adopting a policy giving parents the option of giving their child an antibody test to show they were exposed to Covid-19. Antibody tests demonstrate immunity.

By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

                A young Williston mother asked Levy County School Board members Tuesday if she could get her child tested for COVID-19 antibodies and keep the child in school even with a sniffle or a cough.

            Jade Anderson said she is able to stay with her children if they happen to be sent home with a sore throat or a cough but many parents aren’t able to take time off work if their kids are sent home.

            “It’s just not practical. I stay at home with my kids. A lot of people don’t have that as an option,” Anderson said at Tuesday’s board meeting. “That’s probably one of the main reasons parents choose Option 1. It’s because they can’t stay at home with them.”

            Levy County parents were given three options for schooling their children when classes began on Aug. 17. Option 1 was traditional classroom learning. Option 2 was a blend of learning at home on a computer and traditional classroom work. Option 3 was virtual learning at home.

            Anderson asked school board members if they might have an interest in adopting a policy giving parents the option of antibody testing to show their child has been exposed to COVID-19 and has immunity.

            School board members and Superintendent Jeff Edison asked Health Department Nursing Director Jeanie Norris to respond to Anderson’s comments.

            “If your child has an antibody test, with the data we have now, we can only say those antibodies are effective for 90 days,” Norris said. “There are a lot of antibody tests out there and there is a lot of cross reactivity, so we’re not really using antibody tests much just because of that movement.”

            Anderson said Edison sent out a letter saying if kids have a sore throat or a cough they could possibly be sent home just for having symptoms of COVID-19.

            Anderson said she just wanted to pitch the idea to the school board. She believes school is the safest place for her child.

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School Board of Levy County Regular Meeting August 25, 2020; Posted August 25, 2020