High schools transition to online, sports limited by Reeves
Madison Central Velma Jackson high school have transitioned to virtual learning until 2021 as cases of COVID-19 continue to sweep through the county.
Students at each school began virtual learning this week and will continue until the Christmas holiday break on Dec. 23.
“This decision, made in consultation with the Mississippi Department of Health, is in compliance with Madison County Schools’ pandemic protocols to stop the spread of illness,” the district stated in a release.
Gov. Tate Reeves on Wednesday announced that crowds will be limited to a group of no more than 10 in a single space indoors. For outdoor social gatherings, no more than 50 people should be in close proximity.
Face coverings in schools are also required statewide whenever social distancing is not possible. They are also required when indoors and interacting with the public in the following counties — Madison, Hinds and Rankin counties in the metro.
Indoor sports venues for K-12 extracurricular events will be limited to the lesser of four spectators per student participant or 250 ticketed spectators. Other indoor arenas will be limited to the lesser of ten percent seating capacity or 1,000 attendees.
According to a report released by the Mississippi State Department of Health on Tuesday, Madison Central has 17 positive cases amongst students and 16 amongst faculty and staff. Last week, an additional 30 students were quarantined. MSDH reports four known outbreaks since classes started in September.
Velma Jackson is reported 10 cases amongst students with 1-5 reported amongst teachers and staff. Last week, there were 11 students quarantined with four total outbreaks reported also.
Germantown High School and Madison Middle School last month transitioned to virtual learning after a spike in cases resulted from off-campus social gatherings.
Madison Avenue Elementary remains the only school in the district with no reported cases.
The schools with the largest number of cases to date are Germantown High School (43), Madison Middle School (29), and Ridgeland High School (22).
Madison-Ridgeland Academy has the most confirmed cases of any public or private school in the county, according to MSDH, with 41. A total of 10 faculty and staff have also tested positive. Last week, there were 42 students quarantined.
In Madison County, there have been 368 new cases identified since last week, with a total here of 5,478. There have been 114 deaths here attributed to the virus, up seven from last week.
Madison County remains under a mandatory mask ordinance until Dec. 11.
On Wednesday, the MSDH identified 1,732 new cases of COVID-19 across the state with 56 new deaths.
COVID-19 hospitalizations across the state have risen from 669 on Nov. 10 to 1,101 on Dec. 6. Patients in the ICU are also nearing an all-time high at 287, as the number on ventilators also continues to rise.
In total, 167,926 cases have been reported across the state with 4,017 deaths.
Following is the complete list of counties under the current order:
Adams, Alcorn, Amite, Attala, Bolivar, Calhoun, Carroll, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Clarke, Clay, Coahoma, Copiah, Covington, De Soto, Forrest, Franklin, Grenada, Harrison, Hinds, Holmes, Itawamba, Jackson, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Kemper, Lafayette, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lee, Leflore, Lincoln, Lowndes, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Monroe, Montgomery, Neshoba, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Panola, Pearl River, Perry, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Rankin, Scott, Simpson, Stone, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Union, Washington, Webster, Winston, Yalobusha and Yazoo Counties.
“All of these measures are important, and I hope that the people of Mississippi will make an honest effort to participate in slowing the spread of the virus,” Reeves said.
The executive orders that are in place are set to expire on Friday, Dec. 11, Reeves said in a press release.