OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – After a new study provided a disturbing outlook on COVID-19 in schools, some metro school districts say they are dealing with hundreds of cases of the virus.
Earlier this month, in-person classes began at Oklahoma City Public Schools.
After a few days in school, the district announced that it was implementing a mask requirement for students and staff in classrooms.
Now, officials with the district have announced the latest COVID-19 data impacting classes.
Between Aug. 16 and Aug. 20, Oklahoma City Public Schools reported 237 students and 57 staff have self-reported positive cases for COVID-19.
Right now, the Edmond Public School District has recorded 234 students with COVID-19.
Recently, an Oklahoma doctor has shared models that show as many as 80 percent of elementary-aged children who haven’t had COVID or gotten the vaccine will catch the virus if schools don’t require face masks or conduct regular testing.
The CDC-funded study by North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina and other institutions paints a grim picture of elementary schools that don’t mask or conduct regular testing.
It projects that about 80 percent of students who are unvaccinated or have not had the virus, labeled susceptible students, will catch the virus in 60 days. Projections for the entire first semester are that 90 percent of susceptible elementary students would be infected if the precautions aren’t taken.
