Texas reports most cases of COVID-19 in schools in a single week

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Although some Texas schools had not yet begun the school year, the number of cases of positive COVID-19 students reported last week exceeded the peak seen at any time last year, state data show Friday.

Between August 16 and 22, there were 14,033 positive cases among students across the state, 34% more than the week with more cases of students reported last year, according to data from the Department of Services of State health. Last week’s totals also represent an 182% increase over the week that ended Aug. 15, even though there were fewer students at the school then.

There have been 20,256 reported cases among students since the state agency began tracking data on Aug. 2 this school year. That is, less than 0.4% of the 5.3 million students enrolled in the state in January. Districts with the highest case rates include Midland, Humble, Conroe, Corpus Christi and New Caney, which reported more than 10 new cases per 1,000 students, according to January enrollment numbers.

Of these school districts, Corpus Christi is the only district with a mask warrant and has recently been released for 30 days after school officials saw an increase in cases.

Districts in need of masks were allowed last year. But for most of the past month, the rules on masking requirements have gone back and forth in Texas courts.

Gov. Greg Abbott has tried to ban mask warrants in schools. But some school districts have decided to continue masking orders anyway, adding to demands that have had varying degrees of success. Meanwhile, the battle has lasted for weeks in local school districts, while worried parents on both sides continue to clash. In a case at Eanes ISD on the outskirts of Austin, the tension sparked a verbal assault and a father ripped a mask off a teacher.

State officials said they did not know how many districts have already started schooling or what share of students these districts serve. By this point last year, districts with just under half of all students had started class and the state had reported 313 positive cases among students.

Among staff members, there were 3,425 positive cases reported during the week ending August 22, 26% more than the previous week.

The increase in cases among students occurs as Texas hospitals continue to fill up and the beds in the intensive care unit are scarce. In addition to rural districts, schools have already had to close due to fears that cases between staff and students could overwhelm already narrow hospital systems.

Most school districts do not offer e-learning for the beginning of the year, as the state did not fund this option. Some school districts offer remote learning, but use federal funds to make up for lost dollars.

Without a virtual option widely available in most districts, parents feared a possible increase in cases in schools, mostly because the more transmissible delta variant is to blame for the current increase in cases and hospitalizations.

The Texas House is scheduled to vote Friday evening on a bill that would expand and provide districts with funding for e-learning.

According to the latest guidelines from the Texas Education Agency, schools can offer remote conferences of up to 20 days for students who are ill with COVID-19 or who have been exposed to it. Schools can request waivers if more than 20 days are required.

A COVID-19 vaccine is not yet available for children under 12 years of age. The most appropriate scenarios suggest that it could be in late September or early October before one is approved.

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