In initial six weeks, Collier County schools exceeds its COVID-19 case total for all of last year

Collier County schools have reported more COVID-19 cases in the first six weeks of school than all of last year.

Since the first day of school on Aug. 10, 2,065 cases have been tallied in the district's case dashboard as of Wednesday.

Collier Schools Superintendent Kamela Patton said the district continues to work with the local health department and medical experts. 

"We monitor very carefully the conditions at each separate school," Patton said.

More than 47,700 students are enrolled in Collier schools this year, including charter schools.

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Since school started Collier has implemented additional safety measures, including putting homecoming dances on hold, not having field trips during the school day, not grouping students at learning tables and offering certain events online.

"We don't think that we're static. Even since the beginning of school we've still continued to add additional layers on," Patton said at a Sept. 14 school board meeting. "We try and be responsive to possible conditions."

Homecoming weeks at high schools will still take place with planned events, like spirit days and Friday night football games.

COVID-19 school cases top last year

More than 1,900 cases were reported last year from Aug. 31 through June 11. Collier schools tracked cases through its dashboard last year.

This year's numbers already have jumped last year's by 160 cases.

According to the dashboard, 1,717 student cases, or about 83%, and 348 employee cases, or about 17%, were reported in Collier's initial weeks. 

Collier middle schools account for more than 140% of last school year's total, followed by elementary, about 115%, and then high schools, about 89%.

Collier schools does not share quarantine data resulting from positive cases. 

The school district sent out an email to families Wednesday highlighting new protocols for student quarantines put out by the Florida Department of Health. 

Citing an "importance of in-person learning" the revised rule states longer quarantines should be limited in Florida schools. It gives parents the authority to decide how and when their child will return to school after being exposed to the virus. 

Collier Medical Society weighs in

"Based on the situation, it's not fully unexpected," said April Donahue, executive director of the Collier County Medical Society. 

With relaxed protocols, Donahue said the society encourages all eligible teachers and students to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and follow prevention measures, like wearing masks. 

CCMS also still recommends guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics that urges staff and students to wear masks throughout the school day to curb spread of the virus. 

"We don't want to see a student's school time getting interrupted, we don't want to see people getting sick, being admitted to hospitals, so it's concerning," Donahue said.

Dan DeLuca contributed to this report.

Rachel Fradette is an education reporter for the Naples Daily News. Follow her on Twitter: @Rachel_Fradette, email her at rfradette@gannett.com.

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