Putnam Finishes First School Week Back With 57 Cases

The first week of the winter semester for Putnam County concluded Friday with 57 known positive COVID cases and 213 quarantines.

Entering the break, student attendance was a concern, but Director of Schools Corby King said so far, turnout has improved.

“We are actually in a little better position coming back than we were when we left,” King said. “We seemed to be spiking. Our numbers, absentee numbers, were rising before the break. Coming back, most students and staff absenteeism is much better than when we left in December, and we hope that trend continues. ”

King said teachers and students seem to be excited back in school. If numbers climb too high, the school system has a plan in place to go all virtual. King said the goal is to stay in person, but families should be prepared.

“We on the backside not only monitor the positive cases that are being placed on the dashboard, but also, looking for any links,” King said. “Anything that would tie this student was sitting with this student or this teacher was exposed by this student or particular faculty member.”

The public can view live COVID numbers through Putnam County School’s COVID Dashboard. King said nurses update the data regularly.

“Those number and the information on that website is updated each time a students or faculty or staff member reports to our nurses they have tested positive to COVID or they are placed under quarantine due to an exposure.”

Kings said the school system during the fall semester saw 801 positive COVID cases. Only 32 coming from a school related activity, King said.