It's that point of 12 months again: school is back in session. However, this 12 months, children are returning to classrooms within the midst of a serious nationwide COVID surge.
The weekly update released Friday by the state Department of Health shows that the COVID positivity rate continues to rise steadily, reaching 14.7% on August 12.
The percentage of COVID tests that come back positive, referred to as the positivity rate, is one in all the few remaining timely metrics for tracking the spread of the virus. California's rate has shown no signs of slowing because it first spiked in May. The positivity rate is now at an all-time high in August and is approaching the historic summer high of 16% in July 2022.
Last 12 months's summer COVID wave peaked in early September at just over 13%, and last 12 months's summer surge peaked in mid-July at just over 16%. The highest positivity rate ever was reached in early January 2022, when it reached over 22% through the first major omicron surge.
In response to requests for comment, East Side Union High School District, San Jose Unified School District, Oakland Unified School District, Fremont Unified School District, San Francisco Unified School District and San Ramon Valley Unified School District stated that they will not be currently making any special preparations for the present surge in cases, but proceed to follow all local and state guidelines.
Current guidelines state that students and staff who test positive should stay home until they’ve been fever-free for twenty-four hours and their symptoms subside.
Originally published:
image credit : www.mercurynews.com