COVID-19 Cases trending toward opening schools
By Tom Peterson
With a decrease in COVID-19 cases during the past several weeks, Wasco County is stepping closer to being able to open some schools if trends continue.
North Wasco County Public Health Officer Dr. Miriam McDonell told Wasco County Commissioners on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020, that the county only registered 5 cases of COVID-19 the week of Aug. 16 - Aug. 22.
MCDonell said it was a good start, and if the trend continues, grades kindergarten through third grade could be allowed in schools as early as the week of Sept. 8, as the state has made lower thresholds for those grades.
“It’s pretty exciting,” McDonell said. “I did not think we would be here three months ago.”
To start in-person classes for k-3, three things have to happen.
Wasco County must keep total COVID -19 cases under 8 for the next two weeks.
Of those tested for COVID-19, less than 5 percent can have it during the next two weeks.
There can be no confirmed cases of COVID-19 among school staff or students in the 14 days before in-person instruction starts.
Schools that have a total population of less than 250, such as St. Mary’s Academy in The Dalles or South Wasco County Schools in Maupin also have a lower threshold to meet.
Those schools need to only meet the following two criteria:
Less than 30 cases in all of Wasco County during the past three weeks (There have been only 15 cases in the past two weeks, according to McDonell.)
And a determination by McDonell that there is no community spread. Community spread means people do not know how they contracted the disease. (McDonell determined there was no community spread during the week of Aug. 16 - Aug. 22)
McDonell pointed out that the downward trend was also a good sign for bigger schools such as The Dalles High School and Middle School. While it is tougher to meet the thresholds, “even our biggest schools are trending in the right direction,” McDonell said.
For in person classes to restart in schools with more than 250 in population the following must occur.
Wasco County must have two more weeks with less than 8 cases of COVID-19
The percentage of positive cases must remain under 5 percent ( We were at 1.4 percent the week of Aug. 16 - Aug. 22)
Oregon’s positivity rate for COVID-19 must be less than or equal to 5 percent. Last week, the state was at 5.1 percent - so very close, Mcdonell said.
The number of cases in Oregon for the week of Aug. 2 was 2,182 and for the week of Aug. 16 - just 1,698. The number of daily cases statewide has fallen below 300 for several days.
