Pikeland sees COVID spike; alters schedule
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By BETH ZUMWALT
A high number of students in Pikeland’s three school who are under quarantine or in isolation has caused the district to enact an early dismissal every day this week.
“We have so many students out, not with positive COVID cases, but because of an exposure to a positive case, the teachers need time to prepare homework packets for these children or reach out and contact them,” Carol Kilver, superintendent of Pikeland said. “Our teachers teach bell to bell and there is not time to prepare for the absent students.”
Kilver said last week, approximately 25 students were out of school the week of Nov. 8., in quarantine or isolation and the number doubled the week of Nov. 15.
“It’s across the board, every school has students out,” she said. “We have no positive cases at the high school for example.”
Kilver said the spikes couldn’t have come at a worse time academically, with only three weeks left in the semester, students need to be in class to prepare for semesters.
Sharon Bargmann at the Pike County Health Department, said the numbers are rising all over the state.
“In October, we were seeing two, three cases per day. Since the 10th of Nov. we are seeing 10, 11 and 12 cases per day,” she said. “The average age of those contracting the disease is 36.”
In Pike County, only 44.1% Pike County residents age of 12 or older have received the COVID-19 vaccine.
Bargmann said a vaccination clinic held Nov. 18 at the PCHD attracted 159 people.
“But few of those were in the12-18 range,” she said. “Our health department is not going to order any children’s vaccine because you have to order in batches of 100 and we don’t think we would get that many and it is a shame to waste it.”
Bargmann said the PCHD will hold vaccination clinics each Thursday from 1:30 to 4 p.m. during the month of December.
Western and Pleasant Hill say their COVID numbers are consistent and Griggsivlle-Perry says they had a spike a few weeks ago, but things have leveled off.
