Health Officials Work To Get Schools Back To Reporting COVID-19 Data

Many Hoosier K-12 schools have stopped reporting COVID-19 data to the state, as required.

That’s during what State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box calls the "darkest time of the pandemic."

Box said the state knows students are being quarantined, but schools aren’t reporting positive cases. The portion that are reporting through the state's school dashboard pandemic records, adding 3,028 new cases in the week from Aug. 14-20.

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She said the state is working to get schools back on track.

"Talking to the Department of Education about what future actions or supports could be given to schools that aren’t doing the right things here," Box said.

Box also said the state estimates less than 10 percent of K-12 schools are doing COVID-19 testing, despite the Indiana Department of Health offering testing supplies.

"These rapid tests can quickly assess whether a student’s symptoms are COVID or not," Box said. "And this can help reduce the quarantine and keep our children in school when they’re healthy enough to be there."

Box emphasized that a vital way to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in schools is for everyone – students, teachers and staff – to wear masks.

Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.