COLUMBUS, Ind. — Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. officials have released another update on local COVID-19 indicators, which will guide the school corporation on whether a safe reopening can occur on Monday.
The Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. originally planned to open its doors for in-person learning Thursday, but moved the start date back by four days.
The most recent report, released Thursday, shows that the per capita positive rate (per 100,000) was 6.8 as of Aug. 5. The rate is in the moderate spread category and has been there for the past two weeks, with the exception of July 29 (rate of 11.3) and 30 (rate of 10.3), when it rose to substantial spread. If the rate becomes less than five, it will move into the minimal/no spread category.
The report shows seven COVID hospitalizations as of Wednesday, which is in the minimal/no spread category.
On Friday morning, there were 10 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at Columbus Regional Hospital and an additional three patients hospitalized with symptoms consistent with COVID-19, but still awaiting test results, the hospital said.
Two of the 10 patients hospitalized Friday were in critical condition, hospital officials said. The other eight are listed in stable condition or stable-critical condition, officials said.
A number reporting 10-14 hospitalizations would put the indicator into the moderate spread category. Fifteen or more would put it into substantial spread.
“We appreciate CRH providing these results to the public and will continue to work with them and local health officials to monitor community spread,” said Superintendent Jim Roberts in a recent statement. “One day and one set of metrics will not determine whether we are open or closed as a school corporation. With a regional health care provider like CRH and these recent results, it’s important for us to wait on the Bartholomew County data so that we can understand the local impact behind this information.”
For more on this story, see Saturday’s Republic.
