COBB COUNTY, Ga. — The Cobb & Douglas Public Health Department report that no student nor staff test positive for tuberculosis at Walton High School where hundreds were tested after a possible exposure.
On Tuesday, 300 students and staff members were tested.
The health department says that had there been a positive test, the person tested was exposed to someone with active tuberculosis. People who test positive then take a chest X-ray to rule out having the active disease.
Health officials say that if the test X-ray is negative, they will be offered preventative medication, while if the X-ray is positive, they will be treated for the disease.
One student, who did not get tested, said that other students required to get tested were informed at the beginning of the school day.
“Some kids got slips in their homeroom. I didn’t know there was that many.” said the student.
Parents said that they are glad to hear of efforts by the health department and school district to contain the spread of infection and prevent a tuberculosis outbreak.
“I’m all for the testing, definitely do that. But it concerns me that it is in existence. That’s a worry,” said parent John Cullom.