State: Volusia, Flagler schools count almost 1,900 cases of COVID-19
The report from the Florida Department of Health includes cases reported at private schools.
This week the Volusia County school district stopped regular temperature checks at schools for students, staff and visitors. The safety procedure was implemented when school began this year, but was not a recommended measure by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC updated its existing guidance last week to say teachers don t need to be vaccinated for schools to reopen safely, and reinforced its recommendation to socially distance. This has been difficult to achieve in Volusia County, where the majority of students are learning in-person.
State reports 120 new COVID cases in Volusia and Flagler schools
The report from the Florida Department of Health includes cases reported at private schools.
In January, the Volusia County school district reported about 500 cases of COVID-19 in public schools and Flagler reported about 100.
Volusia County school officials raised concerns about the number of cases after the holidays, and indicated that the current precautions including masks will remain in effect. Teachers and staff in the district who are over age 65 have been eligible for vaccinations through a partnership with the district and county.
The state s numbers include a breakdown of how many cases are in each school information the districts have been unwilling to provide. Neither agency is providing information about how many students or staff members are in quarantine.
The report from the Florida Department of Health includes cases reported at private schools.
In January, the Volusia County school district reported about 500 cases of COVID-19 in public schools and Flagler reported about 100.
Volusia County school officials raised concerns about the number of cases after the holidays, and indicated that the current precautions including masks will remain in effect. Teachers and staff in the district who are over age 65 have been eligible for vaccinations through a partnership with the district and county.
The state s numbers include a breakdown of how many cases are in each school information the districts have been unwilling to provide. Neither agency is providing information about how many students or staff members are in quarantine.
The Florida Department of Health reported 71 new cases of COVID-19 in Volusia County schools and 29 new cases in Flagler County schools last week.
The state has tallied a total of 825 cases in Volusia and Flagler schools a number that includes private school cases between Sept. 6 and Dec. 12. That s 116 more cases than were reported in the previous week.
Differing numbers reported by the different entities have been a problem all year. According to a FAQ on the state s coronavirus update web page, any inconsistencies should be taken up with the district and not the state. The numbers presented by the state are collected by county health departments and through state epidemiological investigations.
High schools in the two districts continue to report the most cases per site. This week, Flagler Palm Coast High reported an additional 10 cases, bringing its total to 41. In Volusia County, DeLand High has the highest number of cases with 31.
Differing numbers reported by the different entities have been a problem all year. According to an FAQ on the state s coronavirus update web page, the inconsistencies should be taken up with the district and not the state. The numbers presented by the state are collected by county health departments and through state epidemiological investigations.
The districts usually report more cases, but the state s report includes a breakdown of how many cases are in each school information the districts have been unwilling to provide. Neither agency is providing information about how many students or staff members are in quarantine. However, last week nearby St. Johns County reported that almost 1,500 students were in quarantine after being expos