Austin-area schools release COVID-19 report cards
CEDAR PARK, Texas - Austin-area schools are releasing their reports of COVID-19 cases on their campuses after recently opening up for in-person learning.
Bagdad Elementary was one of the first Leander ISD campuses to report a case of COVID-19. That was last week and at the time, all the cases involved staff members.
Now, students are getting the virus. From September 11 to the 18th LISD reports 12 positive cases: eight students and four employees. Contact exposure cases jumped from about a dozen last week to 122. Most are students with a count of 109. Employees account for 13 cases.
SIGN UP FOR FOX 7 AUSTIN EMAIL ALERTS
Austin-area schools are releasing their reports of COVID-19 cases on their campuses after recently opening up for in-person learning.
DOWNLOAD THE FOX 7 AUSTIN NEWS APP
Parents who spoke to FOX7 are not surprised by the report and said that as long as there are teachers and substitutes available, they will keep their kids in school. "I'm of the opinion if someone is going to get it they're going to get it we are going to take all the precautions not to get it,” said Tony Rourke.
Rouse High School tops the list of LISD COVID-19 hotspots with one confirmed case and 47 contact exposures. Cedar Park High school is next, with two confirmed cases and 34 exposures. Other schools on the LISD COVID-19 list include Akin Elementary, Bagdad Elementary, Faubion Elementary, Four Points Middle School, Glenn High School, Henry Middle School, Bush Elementary, Vandegrift High School, and Vista Ridge High School.
RELATED: Texas launches webpage on COVID-19 cases at public schools statewide
FOX 7 Discussion: Health guidance for back to school
Many schools are welcoming kids back for in-person learning this week, so the CDC is encouraging parents to monitor their child's health before heading out the door. Doctor Shyam Sivasankar, a pediatric emergency medicine physician at St David's Children's Hospital, joins Mike Warren on FOX 7 Austin to talk about what parents should look out for.
Leander ISD administrators say that no schools will be shut down but students from at least one entire classroom have been put into quarantine. LISD issued a statement which read in part;
"Following our district-established safety protocols is critical in allowing us to keep our schools open for in-person learning. These measures are in place after months of planning and collaboration with local health agencies, and we are confident that by adhering to them, we can slow the spread of the virus and protect our community."
To view Leander ISD's COVID-19 dashboard, click here.
Round Rock ISD released its first COVD-19 report Friday afternoon, reporting a total case count of four: three staff members and one student. There are 30 contact exposures with 24 cases involving students.
Cedar Ridge High School, Stony Point High School, and Callison Elementary are where the cases are located. SPHS is the only campus where a student has a confirmed case of COVID-19. The cases at the other RRISD schools involve staff members.
RELATED: Person at Stony Point High School tests positive for COVID-19
Schools located in Travis County report about four-dozen cases. But according to Health Authority Dr. Mark Escott, there is no evidence any of those cases were transmitted in a classroom setting.
"So where are they happening? They're happening in social gatherings, they're happening in extracurricular activities, we've seen clusters in the area relating to football, strength and conditioning, football practice, we've seen it in cheerleading, we've seen it in band,” said Dr. Escott.
RELATED: Texas teachers union launches website to track COVID-19 cases by school district
Not using a mask is a common factor, but when a student is playing an instrument or making a tackle, health officials admit using a mask can be difficult. The fear of catching the virus isn't what's keeping Wiley Middle School student Nathan Torres at home and online. The problem for Nathan is the tough social distancing rules in place for those who choose to return to campus.
"I have mixed feelings about it because I want to go back to school and see my friends but the thing about that is you're not going to be able to play with them at all, you can barely talk to them as it is when in class, but then you can't get close to them at all. So I think I'd rather stay home this year," Torres said.
To view Round Rock ISD's COVID-19 dashboard, click here.
CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST INFO ON THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK
FOX 7 Austin is working to keep you up to date with coronavirus, with both local and national developments. You can also get the latest COVID-19 news from around the country at coronavirusnow.com.