High Covid Rates Remain In School Communities

— Farmington, Lincoln and Prairie Grove school districts remained in the highest level for covid infections, according to the latest report from Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, released Jan. 27.

The rate of infection represents cases from residents within district boundaries, not just a district’s students and staff.

The recently added “pink zone” for covid infections represents school districts where at least 2% of the local population is known to be newly infected with covid-19, according to a news release from the center.

The ACHI’s updated map for new infections shows that 186 or 79% of districts have covid-19 infection rates of 200 or more new known infections per 10,000 residents over the past 14 days.

Farmington, Lincoln and Prairie Grove school districts are in the highest “pink” category.

Farmington has been in the highest category since the Jan. 10 report from the center for health improvement, but its cases per 10,000 people have gone down from 409 infections in the Jan. 17 report to 387 infections per 10,000 residents in the Jan. 24 report.

Prairie Grove School District also has seen a decrease from Jan. 17 to Jan. 24. Prairie Grove had 474 infections per 10,000 residents in the Jan. 17 report and 465 infections per 10,000 residents in the Jan. 24 report.

Lincoln School District, on the other hand, has seen its infections go up. Lincoln School District’s infection rate has increased from 206 cases per 10,000 people in the Jan. 17 report to 254 infections per 10,000 people in the latest Jan. 24 report.

According to the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, 49% of eligible residents living within Prairie Grove School District are fully vaccinated, 53% of those in Farmington School

District are fully vaccinated and 28% of eligible residents in Lincoln School District are fully vaccinated.

The center urges shortterm actions in response to the immediate threat from the omicron variant of covid-19. Recommendations include masks, virtual instruction for high risk districts, ease public- facing activities short- term, redouble efforts on hygiene, distancing and ventilation and enable work from home options.