End of week report: Tampa Bay Schools see rise in COVID-19 cases, quarantines
School reopening has not become the major virus spreading event some feared. Image via AP.

texas-school-opening-ap-ps-200810_1597091599590_hpMain_16x9_992
The individuals are quarantined based on interaction and vicinity between the person who tested positive.

As the school week came to an end in the Tampa Bay area, coronavirus cases among three county districts appear to be rising.

The Hillsborough County School District still doesn’t have a public list providing the number of quarantined individuals, Pasco County had to quarantine 119 students in one high school and Pinellas has yet to provide a Friday report.

Here’s the breakdown:

On Friday, Pasco County saw its second-highest number of daily cases since school started on Aug. 24 — five students and one staff member tested positive. However, this day had the highest impact number, reporting the 119 students and 10 staff members had to be quarantined following a positive student case at Zephyrhills High School.

So far, the district has reported 20 student cases and five staff cases but has had to quarantine 499 students and 54 employees. Just two days ago, those numbers were 212 and 33, respectively.

Hillsborough County School District saw 39 cases from teachers and students in its first week of brick-and-mortar classes. The list is made up of 22 student cases and 17 employee cases. Although the dashboard is updated each hour, according to the site, it does not reveal the number of individuals who were impacted through quarantine requirements.

The individuals are quarantined based on interaction and vicinity between the person who tested positive, for example, if they shared a class.

Pinellas County, which has been reporting quarantines by the number of affected classrooms and buses, has yet to report Friday case numbers. This week, the district saw 12 employees and only seven students who reported positive, and have had to quarantine 22 classrooms and one bus.

At an average of 10 students per class, that means some 420 students may currently be quarantined. That estimate doesn’t include bus quarantines, of which there has been at least one.

Superintendent Michael Grego said during a School Board meeting last week that buses average about 20 students each. The district only began reporting bus quarantines this week.

Kelly Hayes

Kelly Hayes studied journalism and political science at the University of Florida. Kelly was born and raised in Tampa Bay. A recent graduate, she enjoys government and legal reporting. She has experience covering the Florida Legislature as well as local government, and is a proud Alligator alum. You can reach Kelly at [email protected].


One comment

  • https://homecarevn.doodlekit.com/

    September 17, 2020 at 10:33 am

    I must thank you for the efforts you have put in writing this site.
    I really hope to see the same high-grade content by you
    later on as well. In truth, your creative writing abilities has encouraged me to get my own blog now ;
    )

Comments are closed.


#FlaPol

Florida Politics is a statewide, new media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy, and lobbying in Florida. This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media.

Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL

Contributors & reporters: Phil Ammann, Drew Dixon, Roseanne Dunkelberger, A.G. Gancarski, Anne Geggis, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, Cole Pepper, Gray Rohrer, Jesse Scheckner, Christine Sexton, Drew Wilson, and Mike Wright.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @PeterSchorschFL
Phone: (727) 642-3162
Address: 204 37th Avenue North #182
St. Petersburg, Florida 33704




Sign up for Sunburn


Categories