Covid-19 rates have increased since returning to school from winter break on Jan. 4. 

In the first week back, 67 tested positive for Covid at DHS. That was 2.82% of students and staff.

During Monday’s school board meeting, the BOE voted to remove the mandatory mask requirement when a school has more than 6% positive.

These numbers are rising all over the United States, the country’s Covid rate increased 418% and is at the highest since the start of the pandemic. The seven-day average, as of Jan. 6, was 343,172 new cases per day. As of Jan. 9, this average rose to over 700,000 new cases per day. 

The virus is spreading like wildfire. According to the experts, the Omicron variant is twice as contagious compared to Delta. However, these same experts claim that Omicron appears to be less severe than Delta.

Recently the CDC changed its guidelines, which now makes for a shorter isolation and quarantine period. 

The CDC recommends washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, covering your mouth and nose with some form of a cloth face covering or non-surgical mask when around others and also making sure to regularly clean this covering, avoid crowds and practice social distancing from others, and get the vaccine.