Fayette County is red for a second straight week, ranked number one in Indiana with a positivity rate of 22.52 percent, up from 17 percent last week. Image from Indiana State Department of Health
It has been recommended by Fayette County Health Officer Wayne White and Fayette County School Superintendent Scott Collins to curtail any and all extracurricular activity for two weeks beginning Nov. 5 through Nov 16.
They will, however, keep schools open at this time. They will continue to monitor the need to extend this restriction or enact further restrictions on a daily basis.
“I speak with Scott Collins almost daily. We both feel that the best place for students is in classroom; however, we currently have several high school teachers and many students out on quarantine,” Dr. White said. “We both feel that staff and students are being impacted due to community spread and not from school exposures.
“I have recommended in the past that we close schools if the positivity rate increases above 10 percent. That was three months ago. Since then we have learned a lot about treatment and management of the disease.
“Our positivity rate is currently over 20 percent. The higher positivity rate is partly due to more frequent testing of asymptomatic individuals as testing has become more accessible. Still, this reflects an unacceptable level of community spread.”
Fayette County is once again ranked number one in Indiana with a positivity rate of 22.52 percent, up from 17 percent last week.
The only other two counties in red are Fountain County at 17.14 percent and Dubious County, 15.86 percent.
“Fayette County has some of the worst COVID19 statistics in the country,” Dr. White said. “We rank in the top 100 worst counties in the US for cases per hundred thousand on a seven-day rolling average.
“For the past three weeks, we have been consistently marked red on the Indiana State Department of Health weekly COVID-19 matrix which examines our number of cases and positivity.”
Wayne said, as the county health officer, he has been dismayed with the lax response to the pandemic compared to other communities.
“We need to improve,” he warned.
“As many have noted, the disease is mild and sometimes asymptomatic for the majority of people; however, Reid Hospital is beginning to become overwhelmed with very sick people in the COVID-19 isolation wards,” Dr. White continued. “The staff is spread thin. An increase in the number of deaths will soon follow and possibly involve younger people.
“Until there is a vaccine, masking, frequent hand washing, and avoiding large gatherings are the only tools we have to help slow the spread of this virus.”
White said everyone needs to step up if they want to continue enjoying high school sports and extracurricular events through the winter season.
“I want to emphasize that the spread of the virus is mainly due to community spread and not from the schools and I am heartbroken that we need to take this action,” he pointed out. “I discussed our situation with Dr Kris Box, State Health Commissioner, and she agrees with my recommendation.
“She also recommended partnering with Stephen Cox, Executive Director, Indiana Department of Homeland Security, to coordinate spot audits of local Fayette County establishments to ensure compliance with Stage 5 mandates.
“As the health officer, it is time to make a firm recommendation to our community and local leaders to support wearing masks and obeying the recommendations from the CDC and Indiana State Department of Health. SMASH COVID-19: Social distance, Mask, Avoid large crowds, Sick? Stay home, Handwash frequently.”
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