Student at Santa Rosa Junior College tests positive for coronavirus

A student at Santa Rosa Junior College has tested positive for COVID-19, marking the first case of the disease on the college campus.

While the college transitioned to remote learning because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Sonoma County Department of Health Services approved in-person instruction to resume this summer for programs that train essential public health and safety workers in Health Sciences and at the Public Safety Training Center.

The student who tested positive is a student in one of those programs, and attended classes in the Race Health Sciences building, SRJC President Frank Chong said Thursday in an email to the college community.

The student passed the required symptom ?self-check and temperature assessment but later felt unwell, Chong said. The student was immediately sent home and advised to get tested for COVID-19, and administrators learned of the positive result late Wednesday evening.

College officials said they believed the student contracted the disease at home.

“This first known case of coronavirus on an SRJC site underscores the seriousness of this highly contagious virus,” Chong said in his email. “We must continue to remain diligent in following social distancing protocols and the guidance of local health officials in order to minimize the spread in our community.”

Everyone who came into contact with the student has been advised to self-quarantine for 14 days.

All individuals in the class with this student, including faculty and other students, were wearing personal protective equipment and following approved in-person instruction protocols, Chong said. All Health Sciences faculty and staff have been informed of the positive case.

The Race building was closed for the day, and all classes were canceled so all affected areas could be disinfected. The building will reopen for instruction on Monday.