December 22 COVID Update/Wrap-Up
In last nightβs COVID Community Notification, it was reported that Blake was notified of 25 positive cases at school. These positive cases were reported to be tested from Dec. 13 to Dec. 21, and of the people who tested positive, one was a staff member.
This follows a report of 16 new cases of COVID on Monday, Dec. 20, and six positive cases on Friday, Dec. 17. If combined with data from Dec. 13 (when the outbreak started) up until yesterday, this data means that Blake has had roughly 82 positive COVID cases in the last eight days.
This number is dangerously close to the number of cases needed to shut Blake down for two weeks, which is roughly 90 due to Blakeβs population of over 1,800 students. According to the criteria set by the Board of Education on Monday, if the data from the week of Dec. 6 is added, Blake would have over 100 cases in the past 15 days.
Blakeβs COVID outbreak is part of an even wider outbreak in MCPS. In a community message sent out last night, it was reported that there have been more COVID cases in the past three weeks than in the past three months since the school year started. However, the school system is determined to maintain in-person instruction even after Winter Break ends. This is unlike nearby school systems such as Prince Georgeβs County, which has already gone virtual.
All of MCPS, from the Board of Education to our teachers, is sending out a consistent plea for continued vigilance amidst this crisis. As Winter Break begins, it is especially essential for everyone at Blake to take extreme caution. If we donβt, today could be the last time we have in-person instruction for the foreseeable future.
