SCHOOLS CLOSING ACROSS THE COUNTRY OMICRON CASES RISE FOLLOWING THE HOLIDAY SEASON

 

Photo Credit: whyy.org

SCHOOLS CLOSING ACROSS THE COUNTRY

OMICRON CASES RISE FOLLOWING THE HOLIDAY SEASON

By: Kelly Groome

Over the past few weeks with Omicron cases on the rise and schools shutting down, for many, it feels as if history is repeating itself. Schools first started closing due to the Coronavirus in the Winter of 2020 and remained closed for the majority of the following 2020-2021 school year, when Covid rates were their highest. 

This September, as Coronavirus rates began to decrease, many districts around the country began the school year by opening their doors.

However, since the Holiday season has arrived with a new and rapidly spreading variant of the Coronavirus, Omicron, rates have since been spiking. Schools around the world have once again begun to close their doors as teachers and students contract the virus. 

In the New York Public District, a total of 877 classrooms have shut down and returned to virtual learning, the Today Show reported. According to NBC News, Prince Goerge´s county in Maryland was the first major school district to move to remote learning since the major surge in cases.

Not only on the East Coast, but throughout the country schools are following similar paths. In Missouri, St Roch Catholic School decided to move to virtual learning and return after Winter break has ended.

On December 17th, the Biden Administration released a new ``Test-to-stay” policy to help keep children in classrooms. The new strategy allows close contacts of students to remain in school if they are to test negative. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky remarked on the strategy stating, ¨Test to stay is an encouraging public health practice to keep our students in school.¨ 

Hopefully with the implementation of this new strategy and following safe Coronavirus guidelines, students will begin to return to classrooms following a decrease in the Omicron surge.