Eagle Grove Elementary Principal Jared Carader confirmed late last week that there have indeed been a number of students and staff out ill since school began. However, he stresses not all of them are COVID cases.
“We have had our fair share of students and staff out of school with various illnesses and symptoms the first few weeks of school, '' said Carder.
According to him, there were between 40-60 students out each day two weeks ago, and between 7-12 staff members gone each day.
“We have had 15 students or staff test positive (for COVID) so far this school year, many of whom have (already) recovered and returned to school after their quarantine,” he added.
Taking all of this information into careful consideration, the third grade teaching staff decided not to take their students to last week’s annual Safety Day held for all elementary schools in the county each fall.
“They were wondering if mixing our students with two other schools would make things worse on the illness front,” said Carder.
“At this time, there is no thought of going virtual. We would have to get high numbers in our staff for that to happen and we are not there yet,” said school Superintendent Jess Toliver, adding that virtual days do not count in the final school calendar days this year.
Wright County Public Health Director Sandy McGrath cautions that we should all be vigilant in the fight, though.
“Our case count continues to increase. The Delta variant is highly transmissible, and I encourage anyone with symptoms to hunker down and test until cleared,” McGrath stated.
According to her, of the 47 cases across Wright County last week, from last Monday to Sunday, 13 were school age kids. Since school started, there have been a total of 40 school age kids in Wright County sick with COVID.
“We did not have that number pop up in three weeks last year, now do the math,” said McGrath. “If this variant is two timex more transmissible, how will this spread? Vaccination is important to help cocoon those children under 12 unable to vaccinate. We need school to be successful. Masking in crowds, particularly indoors, is always encouraged until we can get ahead of this and squish it into a flu season where we have enough vaccinated. Immunity by being positive is not sustainable. We don’t know how long or how well the positive developed immunity will be. Delta is different then what went around last fall and winter and those folks' immunity has decreased.”
Wright County is currently at 49.2% vaccinated, McGrath said she was hoping for a minimum of 50 by the time school started.
“Let’s set a goal for 60% by Halloween. This is important as flu season will start and our activities are going to start primarily indoors. Seventy percent is optimal, but person by person doing their part is so important for them and their friends and family. These kids led us through last year's school year with masks, let's help them out and get vaccinated since 12 and under are not able to yet. We owe them that.
Carder added “Our staff and student absence rate improved last week and I am hopeful that it will continue to improve.
The school is not doing any contact tracing. At this time, both tracing and quarantine are being handled by Wright County Public Health.
