The latest update on community spread from the COVID-19 Community Task Force shows that most COVID-19 indicators are in the minimal spread category and that in-person learning will continue for the week of Sept. 7.
The dashboard indicators guide Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. about whether or not schools can continue to meet for in-person learning, which began Aug. 10.
Whether or not in-person learning continues at BCSC depends whether certain COVID-19 data indicates that the school system is in a “minimal,” “moderate” or “substantial” spread category. Superintendent Jim Roberts has said in the past that an overall designation of substantial spread would result in a move to eLearning.
On Thursday, the task force posted the following data on its community spread dashboard:
There are three new positive cases, with the number decreasing as of Sept. 2.
Per capita positive rate is 6.8 and decreasing, as of Sept. 2.
Percent positive test rate is 5.5% and decreasing, as of Aug. 29.
There are five COVID hospitalizations and the number is decreasing, as of Sept. 2.
Test turnaround is 2.5 days, and the number is decreasing, as of Sept. 2.
Percent positive test rate, hospitalizations and test turnaround time are all in the minimal spread category.
Per capita positive rate is in the moderate spread category. If it dips below 5.0, it will be in the minimal spread category as well.
On Friday, Roberts said that since school started on Aug. 10, BCSC has had 20 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases. Of that number, 13 are students and seven are staff.
Richards Elementary and Columbus East High School each have four cases. The administration building, Clifty Creek Elementary and Columbus North High School each have two. The following buildings have one case each: Busy Bees Academy, Columbus Signature Academy Fodrea, Columbus Signature Academy New Tech, Mt. Healthy Elementary, Parkside Elementary and Southside Elementary.
Roberts said that the community COVID-19 data “has continued to improve” in the past month since schools reopened. He added that their internal data indicates that students who are learning remotely are actually more likely to have a positive test.
“Of 13 student positive test cases, nine have been enrolled in one of our remote learning options (out of 3,200 students) and four are receiving only in-person instruction (out of 8,200 students),” he said.
Roberts added that while the data is looking good, it’s important for the community to continue practicing “mitigation strategies” such as mask-wearing, social distancing, and hand-washing, especially over Labor Day weekend.
“Our positive test cases, thus far, have not come from inside the building, but, instead, from weddings, birthday parties, baby showers, and other family or friend get-togethers,” he said.
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The COVID-19 Community Task Force posts updates on community spready every Monday and Thursday at covid19communitytaskforce.org/data/.
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