With coronavirus cases in schools climbing at an “alarming rate,” officials in Maryland’s Howard County suspended sports contests, concerts, plays and other extracurricular activities Wednesday in hopes of slowing transmission as in-person learning continues.
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Superintendent Michael J. Martirano said the suburban school system has seen nearly 300 cases in just the past three days — and has more than 3,700 students and almost 150 staff members in quarantine. The surge is part of an increase that started two weeks ago, following Thanksgiving break, he said in a message to the community Wednesday morning.
Martirano said the system opened schools this fall with a commitment to keeping students in their classroom buildings throughout the school year and that the suspension of activities reflects that. “This decision has been made with that singular priority in mind to keep our students in school by implementing as many possible mitigation strategies to assist,” he said.
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Private schools in the area, including Georgetown Preparatory School and Our Lady of Good Counsel in Montgomery County, have recorded significant upticks in cases recently and suspended in-person learning.
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Montgomery County school officials said Tuesday they have tightened protocols for sports teams, as suggested by local health officials, to minimize spread of the virus. Now, if a team has five or more active cases, the team’s activities — including practices and games — will be suspended for 14 days.
Five Montgomery County high schools are currently affected: Paint Branch, Magruder, Poolesville, Sherwood and James Hubert Blake.
The rising caseloads have alarmed parents like Amy Creel, mother of a student at Blake, where she served for six years as a PTSA officer. One of her daughter’s classes had 15 students absent Wednesday morning, Creel said.
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“There’s a real sense of fear in the community,” she said. “The kids are just really freaked out, and the parents as well.”
The Montgomery County school system website showed Blake with 30 coronavirus cases and 19 quarantines since the school year began Aug. 31, but it was last updated Dec. 3. School system officials said Blake had 26 new cases from Dec. 4 to Dec. 12, nearly matching that previous total, with seven of the cases related to a sports team.
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Chris Cram, a spokesman for the school system, said that while school officials are aware of the increase, the only change in guidance from local health officials relates to sports teams.
Creel asked that her daughter, who is immunocompromised, be allowed to learn virtually until the holiday break but was turned down. “It feels very out of control,” Creel said.
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In Howard, the seven-day total of positive covid cases in schools was 75 on Nov. 18, with more than 1,150 students and 34 staff members in quarantine. By Wednesday, in a shorter period, the number of cases had nearly quadrupled and the number of quarantines almost doubled, Martirano reported.
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Martirano said the rise in cases has strained school health staff and created other challenges. Activities being suspended include field trips, with indoor facilities remaining closed for activities except for before- and aftercare.
The suspension takes effect immediately, continuing through Jan. 15. The situation will be reevaluated Jan. 7.
“It is absolutely essential that we do all we can to keep schools open and ensure each school remains a healthy learning environment for students and staff,” Martirano wrote.
This is a developing story and will be updated.