Vincent Iannelli, MD

Back to School COVID Update

Now that our North Texas kids are back in school, what’s happening with our COVID cases?

COVID cases are rising is Rockwall ISD schools.
COVID cases are rising is Rockwall ISD schools.

Not surprisingly, they are going up…

Back to School COVID Update

And that’s because the Delta surge is far from over.

The Delta surge isn't over yet...
The Delta surge isn’t over yet…

And area vaccination rates are not very high…

Add in the fact that most schools aren’t mandating masks or even quarantining exposed students and it should be no surprise that cases are surging.

As of September 1:

  • the test positivity rate is back up to 0.20, off the recent highs of 0.25 last month, but back up from a recent low of 0.17 a few weeks ago
  • Rockwall County has had an estimated 12,523 recovered cases, about 971 active cases, and 170 deaths (including 6 new deaths in recent weeks)
  • Garland ISD now has 76 active staff cases and 629 active student cases
  • Rockwall ISD already has 63 active staff cases and 268 active student cases
  • Wylie ISD already has 32 active staff cases and 255 active student cases
  • Royse City ISD already has 20 active staff cases and 94 active student cases
  • Caddo Mills ISD still has 15 active staff cases and 27 active student cases
  • at least six Rockwall County daycare centers have had active cases in the past two weeks among students or staff
  • hospital and ICU occupancy rates are back over 90 to 95%, which is dangerously high

And the predictions are that we are at least two weeks away from any kind of peak…

What can you do to protect your family?

Encourage your kids to wear a mask in school, wear a mask when in public, and practice social distancing when possible, avoiding crowded situations.

And of course, you should get a COVID vaccine if you are eligible, which is everyone who is at least 12 years old who doesn’t have a contraindication.

More on COVID-19