Administrators from the South Central Calhoun (SCC) Community School District are stressing the importance of wearing face coverings properly after a central office employee tested positive for COVID-19 this (Wednesday) morning. This most recent case is the third reported staff positive this week. The district implemented a mask mandate on Oct. 24. Superintendent, Brad Anderson, says, “The mask mandate was essential to keeping kids/staff in school with the challenge now becoming reminding students to wear them correctly.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), face coverings are effective at significantly reducing transmission rates when worn over the nose and mouth when physical distancing is not possible. Active cases have more than doubled in Calhoun County over the last two weeks, climbing from 50 cases on Oct. 21 to 110 as of 4 p.m. today (Wednesday). Twelve staff members and 74 students have been placed in quarantine since the start of the school year. However, only seven employees and 14 students have tested positive for the virus so far. For detailed statistics on a statewide or county-by-county basis, log on to coronavirus.iowa.gov/.
