CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — As of Wednesday night, the list of schools in Clayton County that are going digital because of a rise in COVID-19 cases has risen to 15. Many parents are concerned after being left scrambling to adjust.
“It’s going to spread,” said parent Melissa Cantrell.
She told Channel 2′s Matt Johnson that she and her husband cannot risk their 12-year-old daughter catching COVID-19 at school.
“We can’t guarantee that we would make it out because of our lung issues,” Cantrell said.
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They signed their daughter up to take part in virtual classes at Rex Mill Middle School, which is now one of the more than dozens schools completely closed for in-person learning.
“I’m glad that I did do virtual because every it seemed like every single day, I’m getting a call from the principal that there’s a positive COVID case,” she said.
Clayton County already had more schools than any other district shut down, but added eight more to the list on Wednesday.
The district reported a 220% increase in student cases last week, from 83 to 266.
Clayton County is also one of the least vaccinated counties in the metro area at just 35%.
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District Director of Student Services Dr. Angela Horrison-Carter told Johnson that a response team works with infected students and staff to contact trace and learn their vaccination status.
“There’s specific criteria and questions that we’re asking and answers that we’re looking for, to help us make a decision,” she said.
Henry County has the next highest amount of schools closed due to COVID-19 with six temporarily in virtual learning. Fulton County has two.
Josh and Melissa Husak have two children in Fayette County Schools, where there are currently no school shutdowns. One of their kids has been quarantined due to a close contact, though.
“I really pray that it does not go virtual,” Melissa Husak told Johnson. “We would rather take the risk of them being in school with COVID than what it did to them emotionally and mentally, mentally and physically.”
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Clayton County is trying to get more of their staff vaccinated by closing the schools next Friday to give them an opportunity to get vaccinated.
Governor Kemp is also giving state employees the day off as an incentive to get vaccinated as well.
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