More than 600 student coronavirus cases reported in Wake County schools since August
Hundreds of coronavirus cases were reported among Wake County students this month, according to data from the Wake County Public School System. Since the beginning of August, more than 600 students and 128 staff members tested positive this month.
COVID-19 cases remained elevated before traditional calendar students returned to the classroom last Monday. The majority of August's cases are among year-round students, WCPSS data shows.
Since the start of school for traditional students, 120 positive tests have been reported across Wake County schools — 20 in staff and 100 in students. The district reports there were 612 students in total that tested positive in August.
Wake County Board of Education member Jim Martin said he wants to make sure that schools are abiding by the mask mandate.
"I'm not surprised, I’ve been seeing this coming," he said. "The data has been pretty clear in terms of what’s happening."
Statewide, cases have been rising among younger people, who are less likely to be vaccinated.
Martin said that student cases are outpacing the rest of cases in the county.
"My recommendation, when you see more than five cases a week in a school, then you really need to take a look and see what’s going on," he said.
District data shows cases were high among elementary schools, where students are ineligible for a coronavirus vaccine. Herbert Akins Road Elementary School in Fuquay-Varina reported 32 positive student cases this month.
Cases among middle schools also were heightened — North Garner Middle School reported 28 positive tests among students this month, and Neuse River Middle School reported 23 student coronavirus cases this month. Knightdale High School reported 22 student coronavirus cases.
Starting this week, Wake County schools are taking a new step to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the classroom by asking schools with clusters to monitor and report mask compliance.
According to the district, experts said tracking compliance is one change that can help reduce the number of positive cases in a school.
The school district is still waiting for the results of an additional 150 COVID-19 tests, the data shows.
The Wake County Board of Education could make a decision to update its guidance that would require masks to be worn outdoors and for unvaccinated employees and student athletes to be tested more often. Their next meeting is on Sept. 7.
Martin also said that he thinks there will be "significant discussion" on whether or not public school staff should be required to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
"I think that combination of testing and vaccination requirement is kind of the next best thing across the board to require vaccination," Martin said. "We need something like that."
