COVID-19 Cases On The Rise At Sarasota County Schools

Sarasota FL

13 January, 2022

1:46 PM

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SARASOTA COUNTY, FL — Since students returned from winter break Tuesday, Sarasota County Schools has seen a significant rise in COVID-19 cases. As of Thursday morning, 303 students tested positive for coronavirus, while another 21 cases were reported among staff, according to the district's COVID-19 dashboard. Through contact tracing, another 170 students and seven staff members have quarantined due to exposure to the virus. Area high schools have been hit the hardest by coronavirus since the end of winter break. Sarasota High School currently reports 30 student cases, while there are 21 at Booker High School, 23 at Riverview High School and 23 at Venice High School. COVID-19 cases have increased throughout Florida over the past month, thanks to the spread of the highly contagious omicron variant. The state saw just shy of 400,000 new cases reported from Dec. 31 to Jan. 6 and a 31.2 percent new case positivity rate, according to weekly data from the Florida Department of Health. During this same period in Sarasota County, 5,010 new cases and a 23.1 percent new case positivity rate were reported. And these numbers are still going up. As of Wednesday, more than 11,000 people are hospitalized with COVID-19 in Florida, according to the Florida Hospital Association. The state also continues to report high daily numbers of coronavirus cases, including nearly 72,000 for Tuesday, data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows. Despite the surge in cases at local schools, Craig Maniglia, director of communications and community relations, told Patch Thursday afternoon that "at this point there is no change in our policies." The district's complete COVID-19 policies can be found here. On Jan. 7, the district emailed students and their families before schools reopened to remind them of COVID-19 protocols and mitigation efforts, stressing that schools will remain open. "Throughout this pandemic, we have witnessed that face-to-face attendance of students and employees is very important for student success and providing a high-quality education," the district wrote. "All schools will be open and we will continue to have virus mitigation strategies in place." Face masks are optional, not mandatory in the schools, but the district encourages masking for all students ages 12 and older and staff members. Social distancing practices will be followed whenever possible, the district added. All common areas, equipment and personal workspaces will be regularly cleaned and sanitized. Students exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 has the option of attending school or school-sponsored activities with no restrictions as long as they're asymptomatic or quarantining for seven days, the district said. Families are also encouraged to drive their children to and from school during the current surge in cases. "Though our school buses are cleaned thoroughly and regularly, a temporary decrease in the overall amount of bus riders may help reduce the rate of potential COVID spread on our buses," the district said. The Florida Department of Health in Sarasota has partnered with Sarasota County to offer PCR testing for symptomatic staff and students for all public, private and charter schools by appointment in Sarasota, North Port and Osprey. To request a test, email [email protected] or call 941-861-2941.