Did A Week of Virtual School Help Drop COVID-19 Case Numbers?
The Alabama Department of Public Health’s latest COVID dashboard for the state’s public schools shows a slight drop in cases across the state.
This week’s numbers are 24,913, compared to 26,260 for the prior week.
In Montgomery and Autauga County Schools, the week-to-week drop was significant, with both districts combining for 917 fewer cases than the week before. Both school systems had gone virtual last week.
Is that the reason for the big drop?
MPS COVID case numbers dropped from 728 to 129. In Autauga County Schools, cases dropped from 512 to 194.
One parent told Alabama News Network virtual learning offers better protection for students.
“I wish my school system would bring it back as an option because right now, we don’t have it as an option,” Tametra Eiland-Thomas said.
But another parent disagrees.
“It’s not good for the children,” Nisha Patel said.
Dr. Karen Landers, regional health officer for ADPH says, “Schools need to make decisions that are best for their individual systems.”
Many school districts have reported widespread faculty and staff shortages.
The dashboard does not specify if cases are in students, teachers, or other faculty and staff.
View the COVID schools dashboard here.
