COVID-19 cases rise as new school year begins across Texas

The CDC says COVID-19 infections are growing across the country as students return to school. Here’s what local school districts are seeing.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The new school year is underway, and health officials are reporting a rise in COVID-19 cases across the country.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Texas is among 48 states seeing COVID-19 cases climb. In South Texas, the increase has already forced one school district to temporarily close.

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San Perlita ISD in the Rio Grande Valley shut down for a couple of days this week after the district experienced a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases.

While Coastal Bend school districts have not seen an outbreak requiring a temporary closure, some are reporting COVID-19 cases as students return to the classroom.

“We’ve had a handful of COVID cases reported to our district nurse,” said Amanda Barmore, Interim Superintendent at London ISD.

Barmore said overall attendance at London ISD remains strong and the symptoms being reported have been manageable.

The district is also taking preventative measures to keep campuses clean, including using equipment it purchased during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“They’re actually the foggers that we bought whenever COVID was going around. So we have those. So we got the formulas and stuff for it. So we’re just doing it again as a preventative, you know, it worked back then, working now,” Barmore said.

Dr. Eric Baggerman, a local pediatrician, said he is also seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases among children returning to school.

“We see a big spike in the clinic for upper respiratory type infections late August, early September. It’s normal. Particularly more COVID this time, I would say this year than last year, on my own just observation,” Baggerman said.

Baggerman said the symptoms he has seen have generally been mild. However, he said parents should be aware of current guidance if their child tests positive for COVID-19.

“There’s no longer a special quarantine time for COVID-related infections. It’s like other viral infections where based on the symptoms that you have, so it’s not a five day or a 10 day like it was years ago, it’s more based on how you’re doing,” Baggerman said.

Barmore said every case is different, and London ISD will continue following recommendations from medical professionals when determining when students should return to school.

“We do respect all the doctor’s orders. So if a doctor says they have to stay home for three or five days, then we follow their instructions, and we let them come back whenever the doctor has cleared them,” Barmore said.

Dr. Baggerman said the same basic hygiene practices that can help prevent COVID-19 can also help reduce the spread of other respiratory illnesses, including the flu and common cold.