EDUCATION

COVID update: Cases among school-aged children declining in Athens, surrounding counties

Stephanie Allen
Athens Banner-Herald

COVID-19 cases among school-aged children are on the decline in Athens and surrounding counties, state reports show.

Many Athens-area school districts publish weekly COVID-19 reports for cases among staff and students. 

A school-aged data report is also generated weekly by the Georgia Department of Public Health. The most recent report was released on Sept. 24.

The report breaks down grouping by age: preschool and daycare-aged children, from ages 0 to 4; K-12 school-aged children, from ages 5 to 17; and college and professional school-aged adults, from ages 18 to 22; and then adults 23 or older.

Clarke County

According to the Clarke County School District COVID-19 dashboard, as of Sept. 24 there were 137 new confirmed cases in the past 14 days and 382 confirmed cases in the past 30 days. The percentage of students and staff that were in quarantine across the district was 0.2%

DPH's school-aged data report shows that in the last 14 days, Clarke County reported:

  • 38 cases of COVID-19 in the preschool age group, a decrease from the last report
  • 144 cases in the K-12 age group, a decrease from the last report
  • 149 cases in the college-age group, a decrease from the last report 
  • 501 cases in the adult age group, a decrease from the last report

Oconee County

Oconee County Schools reported Friday — 37 days into the school year — that out of the 9,525 in-person students and staff, there were 36 active COVID-19 cases or 0.38% of staff and students.

DPH's school-aged data report shows that in the last 14 days, Oconee County reported:

  • 10 cases of COVID-19 in the preschool age group,  a decrease the last report
  • 84 cases in the K-12 age group, a decrease from the last report
  • 22 cases in the college-age group, a decrease from the last report 
  • 194 cases in the adult age group, an increase from the last report

Madison County

Madison County School District reported Friday that there were 15 students with a current, positive COVID status and there were no employees with a current, positive COVID status.

DPH's school-aged data report shows that in the last 14 days, Madison County reported:

  • 12 cases of COVID-19 in the preschool age group, a decrease from the last report
  • 67 cases in the K-12 age group, a decrease from the last report
  • 29 cases in the college-age group, a decrease as the last report 
  • 255 cases in the adult age group, a decrease from the last report

Jackson County

For the week of Sept. 3-9, the Jackson County School System reported there were 33 new positive cases in the last week, or 0.3% of students and staff, and 94 new quarantines.

DPH's school-aged data report shows that in the last 14 days, Jackson County reported:

  • 24 cases of COVID-19 in the preschool age group, a decrease from the last report
  • 131 cases in the K-12 age group, a decrease from the last report
  • 54 cases in the college-age group, a decrease from the last report 
  • 607 cases in the adult age group, a decrease from the last report

Oglethorpe County

The weekly update for the week ending on Sept. 24 for the Oglethorpe County School System was not available as of Friday evening. As of Sept. 17, there were 16 positive cases in the school system, including two cases at the primary school, four at the elementary school, three at the middle school and seven at the high school.

DPH's school-aged data report shows that in the last 14 days, Oglethorpe County reported:

  • 4 cases of COVID-19 in the preschool age group, a decrease as from the last report
  • 19 cases in the K-12 age group, a decrease from the last report
  • 12 cases in the college-age group, a decrease from the last report 
  • 89 cases in the adult age group, a decrease from the last report

Barrow County 

As of Sept. 21, there were 28 positive COVID-19 tests among staff or 1.4%, and 52 positive cases among students, or 0.4%.

DPH's school-aged data report shows that in the last 14 days, Barrow County reported:

  • 26 cases of COVID-19 in the preschool age group, a decrease from the last report
  • 133 cases in the K-12 age group, a decrease from the last report
  • 57 cases in the college-age group, a decrease from the last report 
  • 606 cases in the adult age group, a decrease from the last report