U.S. schools: In states where Covid cases are again on the rise, schools weigh safety measures, closures

In states where Covid cases are again on the rise, schools weigh safety measures, closures "We’ll continue to see additional increases unless there’s a very big difference in the amount of protection that individual people are taking," one local official said. NBC News

In states where coronavirus cases are once again on the rise, local officials and schools are considering taking additional precautions to limit outbreaks in classrooms, including again urging people to wear masks and, in some cases, closing.

In Los Angeles County, the number of cases reported among students in youth sports, elementary schools, middle schools and high schools “more than quadrupled between March 27 and April 24,” Barbara Ferrer, the county public health director, said Wednesday in a news conference. Masking requirements in schools were lifted on March 12.

“There are now nearly as many cases among students and staff as there were in mid-February,” she said.

Ferrer said her office is encouraging schools to require indoor masking at events where there are going to be a large number of students and others gathered; to test and screen students for symptoms before and after events; and to improve ventilation at indoor locations and on transportation. ...

In Maine, ... eight schools reported outbreaks last week, with 1,000 total reported cases as of last Thursday, according to the state Department of Education.

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