Last month N.C. Governor Roy Cooper announced that public schools could reopen with some in person instruction under a plan B operation limiting the number of students in classrooms. He also gave school districts the option to operate under plan C with all remote learning. Various districts in the Piedmont are taking different tracks on how they reopen for student instruction later this month.
Larger school districts such as Forsyth and Guilford counties, have chosen all remote learning for the first nine weeks of school. Forsyth and Guilford counties both have had more than 5,000 reported cases of COVID-19 infections since the pandemic began.
Wilkes County Schools had a plan B option in place where students would return to the classroom, but announced a reversal of that decision on Friday. A statement on the school system website said the change in decision was based on advice from the Wilkes County Health Director.
“Wilkes County Schools will open under Plan C, with all students beginning the school year remotely. We hope this is temporary and a timeline for transitioning from Plan C to Plan B will be determined early next week. You will receive information concerning how Plan C will look for your child from their school next week,” reads the statement on the school system website.
As of Monday there were 834 total cases of COVID-19 reported in Wilkes County.
Yadkin County schools is still on track, as of press time, to proceed with its planned hybrid reopening with staggered days of in-person and remote learning days.
“We are still moving ahead with plans for our soft reopening next week and beginning our cohort schedule the following week,” Yadkin County Schools Superintendent Dr. Todd Martin said on Monday. “This could change if Yadkin’s case numbers change or if we start seeing greater community spread. However, we consult with the health department regularly and are moving ahead with Plan B.”
Yadkin County has reported 541 cases of COVID-19 thus far.
Surry County Schools will begin the year with all-remote learning with plans to re-evaluate that decision in mid-September while Elkin and Mount Airy City Schools will have both in-person and remote learning.
“There is no playbook for a pandemic,” Surry County Schools Superintendent Dr. Travis Reeves said in regard to the difficult decision facing school leaders.
“I often say, together we are stronger, and today I am so proud of our employees and what we’ve done together to meet the needs of all students and staff since March. We have to provide accountability measures for all of our students. These are tough times,” said Dr. Travis Reeves, county superintendent. “I commend the Surry County Board of Education for coming together and listening to all of these complex needs, and I appreciate the way the Board has handled this. There is no playbook for a pandemic.”
Surry County had a total of 954 COVID-19 cases reported as of Monday.
Pediatric health experts with Brenner Children’s Hospital, part of Wake Forest Baptist Health, offered tips for health safety ahead of the start of the school year, including reminders about needed immunizations and a warning about an inflammatory illness related to COVID-19 that affects children.
North Carolina law requires children to receive certain vaccines. Vaccinations are required for children entering kindergarten, seventh grade and high school seniors. New this year, all students entering the 12th grade are required to receive an additional Meningococcal vaccine. Health experts representing Wake Forest Baptist Health also stressed the importance of the flu vaccine this year, once it becomes available.
“Many children and teens have not been visiting their pediatricians as often as they should due to the pandemic, but it’s important to know that health care providers have taken extra steps to make sure all of our patients are protected from COVID-19 when they come in to visit,” said Kimberly Montez, M.D. M.P.H., a pediatrician with Brenner Children’s Hospital. “All of us have had our routines disrupted but it is important to remember that children are still required to receive certain vaccines.”
Health experts with Wake Forest are also sharing information on a COVID related illness that affects children.
Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) is a very rare and relatively new disease that is not yet completely understood, but at this time, health experts believe it is a complication of and a delayed inflammatory response to a COVID-19 infection, states a press release from Wake Forest Baptist Health.
“This is a new disease but we are constantly learning more about how various organs can be affected, including the heart,” said Kacy Ramirez, M.D., a pediatric infectious disease physician with Brenner Children’s Hospital. “Initial symptoms often include a high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, redness of the eyes and mouth or confusion, so if a child experiences these symptoms, we urge parents to contact their pediatrician right away. For more serious issues such as difficulty breathing or seizures, children should be brought immediately to the nearest emergency department.”
Physicians recommend the best way to avoid contracting MIS-C is to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19. Steps parents and children can take include limiting nonessential activities, gatherings and events, social distancing, washing hands and avoiding touching the face.
Preparing children for the changes in the coming school year is something health experts said would be beneficial to help alleviate some of the anxiousness children could be feeling.
“We encourage parents to be open and honest with their children and to be watching for changes in behavior or mood that could signal that a child is having difficulty adjusting,” said Linda Nicolotti, Ph.D., a pediatric psychologist with Brenner Children’s Hospital. “Many children are anxious right now and they will miss all the social aspects of school, so we’re encouraging them to spend extra time with their family and to take advantage of staying connected with their friends virtually.”
Parents should remind children and teens that there are important steps they can take to help control the situation, such as washing their hands, social distancing and maintaining a healthy diet.
Kitsey Burns Harrison may be reached at 336-679-2341 or on Twitter and Instagram @RippleReporterK.