x
Breaking News
More () »

Three LRSD employees test positive for COVID-19, prompting debate over patient privacy

Some teachers and parents want to know where the staffers worked. The district and state aren't likely to say.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Three employees at the Little Rock School District have tested positive for coronavirus in the first known infections within the state's second-largest school district in the state's largest city.

Classes have been shut down since mid-March, but some children have been attending day camps and groups of employees have been working in school buildings, leading some parents and co-workers to demand where the infected staffers worked.

But, those details are not likely to be made available because of privacy laws.

"We're not here as the Arkansas Department of Health to satisfy people's curiosity," said State Secretary of Health Dr. Nate Smith. "We're here to protect the public's health."

Pam Smith, the communications director for the school district, said the three positive tests came consecutively on May 5, 6, and 7.

"The district immediately enacted protocols, which include informing staff with whom those employees potentially interacted, sanitizing work areas, and following up with the Arkansas Department of Health," Smith said.

In addition, some parents received letters alerting them of possible exposure to the virus when two children attended a day camp on April 22. The letter said a family member had tested positive. The children were not showing symptoms. The letter was sent out of "an abundance of caution."

The letter is an example of how health officials will make only a limited number of people aware of positive cases. The district and state will rely on contact tracers to inform others who may have been in close contact with infected people.

"When there is a compelling public health need for others to know, then we have exemptions to HIPPA for public health," Dr. Smith said. "For the most part, we will use contact tracing, where we track down the individuals and we have those conversations one-to-one."

The LRSD says it is following guidelines that call for avoiding revealing where people work, claiming it is too easy for the public to figure out who they are.

Dr. Smith alluded to exceptions to those guidelines when public health demands more people be informed in an emergency, but unless more cases crop up or something dramatically changes, the secretary indicated they would err strongly on the side of privacy.

"We don't take [privacy] lightly," he said. "We would only reveal information on a need-to-know basis."

RELATED: Real-time update: Almost 3,700 positive coronavirus cases in Arkansas

RELATED: Senate Democrats propose $2,000 monthly coronavirus stimulus payments

Before You Leave, Check This Out