Todd County Public Health Director Jen Harris says multiple entities are working together to get students back in school buildings as soon and as safe as possible.
The Todd County Board of Education followed the governor’s recommendation and voted last week to postpone in-person instruction until October 12 and will instead use virtual instruction for the first several weeks of the academic year.
Harris says she’s met with the school system on numerous occasions and joins them in wanting to get students back in school safely.
She’s hopeful equipment will arrive in time to allow for rapid COVID-19 testing of symptomatic individuals in each school building, but she assures no child will be tested without a parent’s permission.
Harris says Todd County has performed relatively well in keeping case numbers down when compared to neighboring counties.
She’s continued communications with the Amish and Mennonite communities and while there is only one test-confirmed case in that population, there are other suspected cases who have self-quarantined.
There have also been migrant farm workers who have isolated after testing positive, according to Harris. The outbreak at Hearthstone Place Long Term Care seems to be contained at 15 total cases.
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