Corinth School District, the first to reopen last week, has three high school students who tested positive for COVID 19, according to school superintendent Lee Childress. Fourteen students are under quarantine. Students are required to wear masks, sanitizer is provided and social distancing is in place. Childress says, despite precautions there will be risk of infection.
“I think that’s something any and all schools are going to have to deal with whenever they open even if they remain 100 percent virtual. You’re going to have students who are going to contract the virus either at school or out in the community. You’re going to have staff members who are going to do the same,” said Childress.
Childress says high school teachers are now keeping seating charts to ensure students sit in the same seats. Friday, State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said Mississippi hit a new record with more than 1,700 cases of COVID 19. He talked about reopening schools on Facebook saying:
“I think it’s a good idea to put our toe in the water, try to go slowly, offer as much online as we can, maybe delay in-person for a while, maybe until September,” said Dobbs.
Dr. Claude Brunson with the Mississippi State Medical Association would like to see lower infection rates before reopening schools. He says school districts have made their own plans on how to manage reopening. He’d like to see uniformity in guidelines.
“We believe there needs to be a baseline minimum standard set for any child that’s going back into school where they’ll be in an in-person situation. And the protocols in place for what happens if you get a positive case in the school,” said Brunson.
Dr. Thomas Dobbs says he’s recommending a mask mandate at all schools.
