500 University of Alabama Students Infected
Nearly 600 Miami-Dade County Public School Employees Infected
Children Represent 9% Of All Covid Cases In US, Up From 2% In March
As Republicans praise Trump’s failed pandemic response this week at the RNC, the proliferation of outbreaks at K-12 schools and college campuses across the country highlights the simple fact that this virus is far from under control.
Instead, Americans face an unending crisis. More than 177,000 people across the United States have lost their lives, and more than 5.7 million have been infected. Tens of thousands of new cases are reported daily. And students are unable to return to class without risking their health or that of their families.
It never had to be this way. But President Trump failed to take action to protect Americans, and students across the country are paying the price.
[Twitter, @Covid19WarRoom, 8/25/20]
College Students Stuck in Limbo as Positive Cases Shake Campuses
531 Cases Of COVID-19 Have Been Reported At The University Of Alabama’s Tuscaloosa Campus Since Classes Resumed On August 19.
- “A total of 531 confirmed cases between students, faculty and staff were reported on the Tuscaloosa campus since classes resumed Aug. 19, UA announced Monday evening. The dashboard did not include how many were tested Aug. 19 through Aug. 23 or the rate of positive tests.” [Alabama Local News, 8/24/20]
One Week Into Texas A & M’s Greek Recruitment Events, At Least Ten Students In Sororities Tested Positive For COVID-19.
- “Following a week of Texas A&M Panhellenic recruitment events, The Battalion has confirmed at least 10 A&M students in sororities have tested positive for the coronavirus: five in Kappa Alpha Theta, two in Delta Gamma, two in Kappa Kappa Gamma and one in Delta Delta Delta.” [The Battalion, 8/19/20]
Five Football Players At The University Of Notre Dame In Indiana Have Tested Positive Following A Spike In Cases At The School.
- “Notre Dame released its latest results for the weekly COVID-19 testing that is administered by University Physician Dr. Matt Leiszler, and five Fighting Irish football players tested positive… Additional tests were done after there was a spike in cases this past week amongst the student body.” [Sports Illustrated, 8/20/20]
Students At Western Connecticut State University Have Been Barred From Moving Into Residence Halls For Two Weeks Following A Spike In Cases.
- “Students at Western Connecticut State University will not be allowed to return to university residence halls for at least two weeks, President Dr. John B. Clark said in a statement. The decision comes after the Connecticut Department of Public Health declared a COVID-19 alert following a recent spike in cases.” [NBC Connecticut, 8/22/20]
More Than 100 Students From The University Of Southern California Are Under 14-Day Quarantine Orders Following An Outbreak In Off Campus Housing.
- “More than 100 students from the University of Southern California (USC) are under a 14-day quarantine due to a coronavirus outbreak among students who live in the university’s off-campus housing, USC announced in a community health advisory.” [CNN, 8/25/20]
K-12 Schools Forced to Shutdown Down In-Person Learning as Infections Among Students, Teachers and Staff Pile Up
Nearly 600 Miami-Dade Public School Staff Were Infected With COVID-19 And One Died From The Virus.
- “About 600 employees within the Miami-Dade County Public School System (M-DCPS) have tested positive for the coronavirus over a span of five months. The Miami-Herald reports that M-DCPS spokeswoman Natalia Zea confirmed on Wednesday that the district’s risk department reported 578 cases by tracking claims made to insurance companies from March to July of 2020. The M-DCPS is the largest employer in the county. Back in July superintendent Alberto Carvalho’s staff initially said that only about 100 employees were infected, though this claim is now disputed. This follows an announcement from the United Teachers of Dade that confirmed a member school workers had died from a COVID-19 infection.“ [The Hill, 8/20/20]
53 Students And Eight Teachers From Smyrna Elementary In Rutherford, Tennessee, Were Forced To Quarantine After Showing Symptoms Or Being Exposed To The Virus.
- “In Rutherford County, Smyrna Elementary had 53 students and 8 teachers who needed to quarantine after showing symptoms or being exposed to the virus, the district said in a press release Tuesday.” [WKRN, 8/19/20]
Christiana Middle School In Rutherford, Tennessee Has Already Shut Down And Transitioned Students To Online Learning After Two Employees Tested Positive.
- “Rutherford County Schools says Christiana Middle School students will start the school year remotely Thursday after two employees tested positive for COVID-19. Communication Director James Evans said Monday that while two employees have tested positive, two others are also having symptoms.” [WTVF, 8/10/20]
In Coffee County, Tennessee, Two Schools Shut Down After Registration Day.
- “In Coffee County, two schools shut down after registration day, primarily due to staff having to quarantine. The district had to rearrange teachers in order to staff classrooms.” [WKRN, 8/19/20]
Schools In Twin Cedars Community School District In Bussey, Iowa Were Forced To Close After Multiple Cases Of COVID-19 Were Reported.
- “The Twin Cedars Community School District has confirmed there are multiple cases of COVID-19 in its district. A notification was sent to families stating, ‘We are sad to report that we have had multiple staff members test positive for COVID-19. As well, there are several others awaiting results from testing. These positive tests will require a majority of our elementary school students to be in quarantine for 14 days.’ The district said it would notify the parents of the student impacted. Due to the positive cases, the entire district will be closed on Monday and Tuesday for cleaning.” [KCCI, 8/22/20]
Coleman Public Schools In Coleman, Oklahoma, Were Forced To Close After The District’s Superintendent Tested Positive For COVID-19.
- “Coleman Public Schools are closing after the superintendent tested positive for COVID-19. The district took to Facebook Saturday announcing that Superintendent Melissa Ferguson tested positive. They said they are in contact with the CDC and local health department for guidance on reopening.” [KXII, 8/22/20]
Winchester Community School District In Illinois Is Shutting Down Schools For Two Weeks Following A Confirmed Positive Case Of COVID-19.
- “Winchester Community Unit School District #1 officials announced on Saturday schools will be shut down for at least two weeks due to a confirmed positive case involving one of their schools. Officials said the goal of the shutdown is to break the spread of the virus.” [WGEM, 8/22/20]
Six Of Eleven Schools In Macon County, North Carolina, Have Reported Positive Cases Among Students Or Staff — Forcing A High School To Return To Virtual Learning.
- “A small western North Carolina school district that reopened for face-to-face classes has been hit with daily reports of new COVID-19 cases and been forced to switch a high school to online-only classes. Macon County schools, about 300 miles west of Raleigh, is among a minority of North Carolina school districts that decided to open the school year on Aug. 17 with in-person classes instead of remote learning. The 4,440-student district has had students and/or employees at six of its 11 schools test positive for the novel coronavirus. The most serious situation is at Franklin High School, where the district said Saturday that a number of administrators, support staff and teachers are under quarantine for 10 to 14 days as a result of a staff member testing positive.” [Raleigh News & Observer, 8/23/20]
Bedford County, Tennessee Has Reported Positive Cases At “Every” School, But Has Declined To Shut Down.
- “Bedford County Schools also announced several cases Tuesday. While naming only Liberty School and Shelbyville Central High, the release said they’ve had positive students at every school, but no mass outbreaks, so none have shut down.” [WKRN, 8/19/20]
Evidence Continues to Emerge of Health Risks to Young People
A Georgia State University Quarterback Has Been Diagnosed With A Heart Condition Related To COVID-19.
- “Georgia State quarterback Mikele Colasurdo has been diagnosed with a heart condition as a result of contracting the coronavirus and won’t be able to play football this season, he announced Thursday… Myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle linked to the coronavirus, has been a concern of Power 5 conferences as they gauge the viability of playing a fall football season during the pandemic. ESPN reported on Aug. 10 that myocarditis was found in at least five Big Ten athletes and in several other athletes in other conferences.” [ESPN, 8/20/20]
The Iowa State Health Department Reported That Iowa Child Younger Than 5 Succumbed To The Virus In June, Confirmation Arriving As Schools Across The State Plan To Reopen.
- “A young child died due to complications from coronavirus in June, the first confirmed death of a minor in Iowa during the pandemic, the state health department belatedly announced Sunday evening. The Iowa Department of Public Health said the state medical examiner’s office concluded its case investigation Aug. 6 into the death of the child, who was under the age of 5… The confirmation of the state’s first child death comes one day before dozens of school districts are prepared to begin the school year on Monday — a development that has many educators and parents already on edge.” [Associated Press, 8/23/20]
Children Now Represent 9% Of All Coronavirus Cases In The United States.
- “Children now represent about 9% of all Covid-19 cases in the U.S., up from 2% in March, according to the most recent weekly report issued from Children’s Hospital Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The number of child Covid-19 cases has doubled since July 9, totaling 406,109 as of Aug. 13, according to cases reported from 49 states.” [Wall Street Journal, 8/24/20]