COVID-19 toll in Pinellas County Schools surpasses 100 as quarantines have now impacted nearly 200 classrooms
Stock image via Adobe.

coronavirus school
Charter schools have also begun late-reporting cases.

Eight more Pinellas County students were confirmed positive with COVID-19 Tuesday, according to data the school district released Wednesday.

The cases, at seven different public schools throughout the county, resulted in 15 partial classroom quarantines and 1 partial bus quarantine.

Two students tested positive at Pasadena Fundamental Elementary School, resulting in two partial classroom quarantines. Quarantine orders in elementary schools are typically more isolated because students don’t attend multiple classes.

One student each tested positive at Mildred Helms Elementary School, Tarpon Springs Elementary School, Madeira Beach Fundamental K-8 school, Meadowlawn Middle School, St. Petersburg High School and Hollins High School.

Madeira Beach Fundamental and St. Petersburg High each issued quarantines in five classrooms while St. Pete High also issued quarantines on one bus. Hollins High School issued quarantines in three classrooms.

Cases have now been reported in 63 Pinellas County traditional public schools. A total of 81 students and 35 employees have tested positive since schools opened Aug. 24. At least 197 classrooms have been affected as well as several buses and “groups of students” and three sports teams or groups.

That data does not reflect cases at charter schools, which are publicly funded, but privately operated and are not subject to the same reporting requirements or quarantine guidelines as the rest of the district.

The Pinellas County Schools district reported six student cases at charter schools Wednesday, though the cases are dated. The district did not receive data until Sept. 28. Two students tested positive at Plato Academy, one on Sept. 14 and the other on Sept. 17. Three students tested positive at Plato Academy Seminole on Sept. 3 and one student tested positive at MycroSchool Pinellas on Aug. 31.

Florida Politics previously reported Plato Academy Palm Harbor briefly closed earlier this month after an employee tested positive there.

The three schools that reported cases this week did not provide details on how the cases impacted their campuses.

Janelle Irwin Taylor

Janelle Irwin Taylor has been a professional journalist covering local news and politics in Tampa Bay since 2003. Most recently, Janelle reported for the Tampa Bay Business Journal. She formerly served as senior reporter for WMNF News. Janelle has a lust for politics and policy. When she’s not bringing you the day’s news, you might find Janelle enjoying nature with her husband, children and two dogs. You can reach Janelle at [email protected].



#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