COLUMBIA, S.C. — After a year of virtual learning, parents and students looked forward to returning to in-person learning, but a month in to the school year, children are being sent home due to COVID-19 outbreaks.
News19 compiled the COVID case numbers across the Midlands, which are continuing to rise.
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) reported 4,343 new cases on August 31, and in schools, the numbers are grim.
We decided to compare the August 31 numbers to those reported on August 25.
On August 25, Richland School District One reported 39 positive students and eight positive staff members. August 31, there were 74 positive students and 14 positive staff.
Lexington-Richland Five recorded 122 students and 15 staff with COVID, with 804 students in quarantine, on August 25. On August 31, 47 students and 8 staff tested positive, with 1266 quarantined students.
On August 25, Kershaw County recorded 247 students with COVID, 1,224 in quarantine. On August 31, 206 students tested positive, with 1,018 in quarantine.
Taking a look at the other school districts in our area, on August 31 in the Newberry County School District there’s 85 COVID positive students, 461 in quarantine.
Lexington One has 4,222 students in quarantine, 516 testing positive.
Richland Two recorded 140 students and 12 staff with COVID, 1220 students in quarantine.
In Calhoun County, 14 students and four staff have COVID.
In Saluda County, 12% of district had COVID, with 292 students and six staff testing positive.
According to DHEC, only 47.6% of people in the state are fully vaccinated.
In South Carolina schools, nearly 3000 students and about 300 staff have COVID.