COVID-19 cases among children in Union County
News August 23, 2021
BLAIRSVILLE, Ga – As the Delta Variant spreads in Union County and Georgia, confirmed cases in children continue to outpace previous COVID-19 strains.
On August 12, Union County reported a total of 245 confirmed cases in the 0 to 22 age group. One week later, the Department of Public Health recorded 21 new cases for the age range. For comparison, the case change from the August 6 report to August 13 was nine.
Union County from July 31 to August 13 documented 59 new cases total and has recorded 2,361 cases since last year.
The Delta Variant is highly contagious. Health professionals have compared its transmission rate to chickenpox spread. The number of COVID-19 cases in children jumped over 1,100 percent when Delta hit Georgia.
“In a completely unmitigated environment—where no one is vaccinated or wearing masks—it’s estimated that the average person infected with the original coronavirus strain will infect 2.5 other people,” Dr. F. Perry Wilson, a Yale Medicine epidemiologist, says. “In the same environment, Delta would spread from one person to maybe 3.5 or 4 other people.”
Several schools started back at the beginning of August, and the virus spread is evident. Union County Primary had to close its building for this week because too many teachers were out sick. UCS 2021-2022 school year started on August 12. The previous week Towns County Elementary closed for the same reason too many ill staff.
The Department of Public Health (DPH) keeps track of COVID-19 in children and release school-age data each week. A breakdown of Union County’s 14-day case rate for children indicated significant increases in the school-age group.
8/12 Union County Case Report
- 0-4 – 1 case
- 5-17 – 9 cases
- 18-22 – 3 cases
- 23+ – 73 cases
8/20 Union County Case Report
- 0-4 – 5 cases (+4)
- 5-17 – 17 cases (+8)
- 18-22 – 8 cases (+5)
- 23+ – 115 cases (+42)
While DPH doesn’t provide a county-by-county breakdown of hospitalizations, it includes statewide data on the topics. These reports come out every week and cover two weeks of data.
DPH COVID-19 in Children graph
Emergency room visits related to COVID-19 in children are spiking along with respiratory-related visits. However, hospitalizations appear to have taken a turn downward in most age groups.
Statewide the 5-17 age range is facing the most significant spike in the school-age report. When broken down, 5-10 and 14-17 are experiencing a laboratory higher case rate than 11-13. It’s unclear why from the information provided by the DPH.
Union County Schools COVID-19 Procedures
Union County Schools have procedures regarding positive cases, close contact, quarantine, isolation, and seating charts to try and keep its students safe.
A close contact student, who’s within three feet of a positive case, must quarantine for five days.
Positive students must quarantine for ten days and may return to school after symptoms end or 24 hours without a fever or fever-reducing medicine.
None of these students can participate in extracurricular, after-hours, or athletic activities.
Potentially exposed employees can still work under the essential worker status. If they exhibit any COVID-19 related symptoms, they must inform their supervisor, and essential worker status will be revoked. These individuals must quarantine for ten days from the onset of symptoms.
For the time being, the parents can decide on the necessity of a mask. On Friday, August 20, Assistant Superintendent Dr. David Murphy told FYN that a mask mandate is a “diametrically opposed issue. Families have determined what they feel is best for them. We believe that wearing a mask is the parent/student’s right to choose.”
Additionally, Murphy explained the elementary, middle, high, and Woody Gap Schools aren’t experiencing the same staff absenteeism as the primary school.
COVID-19 K-12 breakdown from DPH
The Primary had nearly four times the percentage of teachers absent than its closest school by comparison. They simply didn’t have enough staff to operate the building effectively.
Pfizer vaccine was fully approved for individuals who are 16 and older on Monday, August 23. Children 12 and older can also receive a vaccine under emergency use authorization.
Children younger than 12 haven’t been cleared to take the vaccine yet. It’s currently undergoing testing.
Union County Primary must close due to Covid-19 outbreak
News August 20, 2021
BLAIRSVILLE, Ga – Union County Primary School will close its building for a week beginning August 23 due to a substantial increase in COVID-19 cases.
A letter from Principal Shane Womack outlined the current situation among staff and students.
“We currently have 20.18 percent (22) staff absent, 3.18 percent (24) student positives, and 11.85 percent (85) students quarantines.”
The positive case rate and quarantine situations resulted in a struggle to keep the school open. There aren’t enough teachers and substitutes available.
For the week of August 23 through 27, Union County Primary will use online learning and classroom packets depending on the grade level. First and second graders will be online using Google Classrooms. If the student doesn’t have access to the internet, parents and guardians can stop by the Primary’s front office on Monday, August 23, to pick up a hot spot.
Pre-K and kindergarten will use the printed learning packet given to parents in the communication folder.
Parents are asked to monitor their children for COVID-19 symptoms.
See Principal Womack’s entire letter below:
Union County Schools (UCS) returned for the 2021-2022 year last week. Union County has been experiencing a significant spike in cases since the beginning of August.
School systems across North Georgia are feeling the effects of the Delta Variant. Gilmer County Schools issued stronger masking policies on Thursday, August 19, and Towns County Elementary closed for a week because of an outbreak.
Governor Brian Kemp stated earlier this week that he’s letting local school systems make their own decisions regarding masks and COVID-19 prevention.
Department of Public Health will be releasing new school-age data numbers today, indicating spread within children. In the August 13 report, the Union County cases in the 5-17 age range were marked as high transmission and increasing. Over a 14-day period, DPH recorded nine new cases for the age group. They gathered the data before children returned to school.
Union County Schools COVID-19 Protocols
Updated: Monday, August 23
The COVID-19 protocol as of Monday, August 23 highly encourages masks for students and staff to mitigate spread.
An email, [email protected] has been established to provide families to contact information. Someone on the COVID-19 response team will call the parent who sent the email. Confidentiality guidelines are also in place so only basic information such as name, phone number, and school are requested to receive a return phone call.
Positive students must quarantine for ten days and may return to school after symptoms end or 24 hours without a fever or fever-reducing medicine. Students within a 3 foot radius of a positive case will be required to quarantine for five consecutive days from last date of exposure.
Quarantine students can’t participate in extracurricular activities.
Any student within a 3 to 6-foot radius of a positive case will receive a courtesy call and asked to self-monitor for two weeks.
Potentially exposed employees can still work under the essential worker status. If they exhibit any COVID-19 related symptoms, they must inform their supervisor, and essential worker status will be revoked. These individuals must quarantine for ten days from the onset of symptoms.
These employees must wear a medical or N95 mask at all times aside from eating, drinking. They must also visit the school nurse for morning and midday symptom screenings. Meals will be eaten in an isolated setting.
UCS is making use of seating charts in classrooms to help identify potential exposures and quarantines. Teachers will sanitize their classrooms at least three times during mid-day cleanings. The custodial staff is disinfecting the buildings after school.
FYN will update this story as more information becomes available.