SIDNEY, NE - Sidney Public Schools announced Tuesday night a student in the district has tested positive for COVID-19. 

According to a news release from the school district and Panhandle Public Health District, the student attends Sidney High School. They were last in the building on Monday, August 17. 

"Sidney High School is fully cooperating with public health contact tracers to identify other individuals who were in close proximity to this student (within six feet for a period of at least 15 minutes)," PPHD said in a statement. 

Public health officials will directly notify any staff or students that may need to self-quarantine. 

Sidney superintendent Jay Ehler has previously told News Channel Nebraska that in the case a student tests positive, that student and any close contacts would move to remote learning for the duration of the quarantine. It is possible for just a small group to quarantine without moving the whole school to online learning.

According to the district's back-to-school plan released in late July, missing school due to quarantining will be counted as an excused absence.

Safety protocols are in place such as classroom seating charts designed for social distancing and mask wearing as students move from class to class. 

During their daily briefing Tuesday, PPHD announced new cases in Scotts Bluff and Dawes Counties, but none in Cheyenne County. Local health officials were notified of this positive test result after the conclusion of Tuesday's daily briefing. 

As of the daily briefing Tuesday, Sidney and Cheyenne County were in the yellow, or moderate, category of Panhandle Public Health's COVID-19 risk dial.