In a letter to Boone County families, Superintendent Turner explained the system’s decision to move to “face-masks recommended.” Masks still required on school buses, per federal requirements:
Over the last three weeks, the high number of positive cases from the omicron variant of COVID-19 has fallen dramatically in our community and schools. The number of student positive cases per week has dropped 83%, while the number of employee positive cases has dropped 89%. The COVID-19 daily incidence rate for Boone County is currently 44.4 cases/100k population after a previous high of 288.5 cases/100k population.
According to the CDC, individuals that have received the vaccine are protected from the most severe cases of the disease and that booster shots are 90 percent effective against hospitalization with the omicron variant.
Currently, in Boone County,
• 92.3% of adults age 65 or older have received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
• 68.0% of adults age 65 or older have also received a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot.
• 73.7% of adults age 18 or older have received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
• 44.6% of adults age 18 or older have also received a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot.
• 65.0% of children age 5 or older have received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Our priority remains keeping our students and staff safe and our schools open for daily, in-person instruction.
Earlier this week our district COVID-19 committee recommended that our school district adjust the layered safety protocols of our Return to School Plan from Face-Masks Required to Face-Masks Recommended. In order to allow proper time for our families and school district employees to make preparations, our schools and district facilities will transition to Face-Masks Recommended on Wednesday, February 16.
Students and staff must continue to wear face-masks while on school district transportation due to federal requirements.
If a number of positive cases arise, schools or parts of schools may be closed or required to wear face-masks. All other layers of our safety protocols will remain in place:
• Staying home when sick
• Social distancing of 3 feet or more is recommended for students in school to the greatest extent practicable. Social distancing of at least 6 feet is recommended between students and teachers/staff to the greatest extent practicable.
• Wash hands regularly
• Clean common surfaces
• Cover your cough
We will continue our test-to-stay program as a service for our students and staff. Additionally, clinics for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine will be scheduled next week at our four high schools.
Check our district website for details.
Matthew Turner is superintendent of Boone County Schools.