Local public school students and employees largely avoided COVID-19 last week despite Thanksgiving travel and gatherings.

Four students and two employees have tested positive for the virus since Thanksgiving Break, according to the School District’s COVID-19 dashboard on Monday (Dec. 6).

One staff member tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday (Dec. 5) at Fellsmere Elementary School and another at Gifford Middle School, school district records show. They were the first staff cases since Oct. 20.

A student at the Wabasso School tested positive for the virus on Dec. 3. Two students at Citrus Elementary School and another at Sebastian River High School tested positive for COVID-19 on Nov. 30.

However, no students have been quarantined for exposure to the virus since October. A total of 1,376 students have been quarantined since the school year started Aug. 10.

Overall, a total of 1,129 students and 212 staff members have tested positive for the virus during the 2021-2022 school year.

Vero Beach High School has had 201 student cases and 39 staff cases so far this year. Sebastian River High School has had 151 student cases and nine staff cases.

Storm Grove Middle School has had 131 student cases and 13 staff cases. Sebastian River Middle has had 80 student cases and five staff cases and Oslo Middle has had 70 student cases and one staff case.

The barrier island’s only public school, Beachland Elementary, has had 43 student cases and 17 staff cases so far this school year. The most recent case was on Oct. 22 when a staff member tested positive for COVID-19.

Beachland Elementary shut down between Aug. 27 and Sept. 7 in response to an outbreak in which 23 students and 14 staff members tested positive for the virus during the first three weeks of the school year.