Clay County remains at ‘red’ level; CCS announces COVID changes

Tuesday, November 24, 2020
Times Creative

The Indiana State Department of Health confirms Clay County remains in RED (a high spread level warning), with the Total Positive Cases of COVID-19 reaching 1,156. With the ISDH providing a free testing site in the county last week, there will be more data within a few days as those results come back.

According to the ISDH, of the 12,066 tests performed on residents, 7,305 were unique individual tests, with the remaining being people who tested more than once. (Officials report 288 tests were administered as of noon Nov 22.)

Of those tested overall, 55.2% were female, and 44.5% were male.

The age demographics among those tested include:

0-1916.7%
20-2913.5%
30-3913.4%
40-4913.3%
50-5914.9%
60-6914.2%
70-799%
80+5.1%
IVY JACOBS photo - The Clay County Health Department confirmed Friday afternoon 589 people have stopped by Forest Park to be tested for COVID-19 through Thursday. The nasopharyngeal testing continues through this week, but it will be closed for Thanksgiving.

TESTING SITE EXTENDED

The Clay County Health Department confirmed Friday, 589 people have stopped by Forest Park Cow Palace for COVID-19 testing. The nasopharyngeal testing was scheduled to continue through Saturday.

On Friday, Clay County Health Nurse Kim Hyatt confirmed the high turnout, Clay County’s RED status on the ISDH COVID-19 Dashboard, and the number of positive cases reached 997 Friday were why ISDH extended the time for the local testing site at Forest Park.

The state testing resumes at Forest Park Cow Palace on Tuesday, Nov.24, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Testing will not be available on Thanksgiving but will be available on Wednesday, Nov 25, and Saturday, Nov 28, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The test site will be open on Friday, Nov 27, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Those being tested need to take 15 to 20 minutes to fill out the information paperwork and receive the test.

Any questions, please contact the Clay County Health Department at (812) 448-9021.

SCHOOL’S OUT

Clay Community School Superintendent Jeff Fritz

On Friday, Nov 20, Superintendent Jeff Fritz confirmed the increase in the number of positive COVID-19 cases and increased hospitalizations related to the virus. Students would remain in eLearning until Dec 4. Schools are scheduled to reopen on Monday, Dec 7.

But even that is dependent upon COVID-19, said Fritz.

CHROMEBOOKS UPDATE

During the school board’s November regular meeting, trustees were advised Chromebooks order months ago would arrive soon.

Superintendent Jeff Fritz has explained that delivery of the new technology to help elementary students do eLearning has been delayed numerous times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was anticipating delivery within a few weeks.

Director of Technology Bill Milner confirmed 272 Chromebooks arrived Thursday (Nov 19), and the rest are expected to arrive the week of Nov 30.

“We will begin setting up Chromebooks for student use as we receive them. We currently have 231 Chromebooks set up for student use and will begin giving them out Tuesday, Nov 24, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Meridian Elementary School,” said Milner, adding once the remaining 1,728 Chromebooks they will be set up. “We plan on distributing the remaining Chromebooks the week of Dec 7.”

The Clay Community School Corporation will post the schedule on its website and notify parents through School Messenger.

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