Minnesota cases were up last week among school-age children (and all age groups); community cases were up at PA as well. Trend lines inside and outside these walls for a respiratory virus are, unsurprisingly, correlating.
In general, by mid-November, PA is not experiencing an unusual autumn of illnesses when compared with prior years.
To date, all students, faculty, and staff who have had community cases of Covid have returned to school healthy and with antibodies. Some have asked if our term “community cases” is synonymous with “community transmission.” It is not. A community case is “defined as a lab-confirmed diagnosis of a member of our school community who (1) was present in school or a school activity while infectious [from households or other outside exposure], and/or (2) possibly contracted COVID-19 as a close contact while in school or a school activity [possible community transmission], and (3) is currently isolating at home.
Below are updated graphs of relevant MDH data on tests, cases, and hospitalizations. School-age hospitalizations where Covid is a factor remain consistently low.
Click an image below to enlarge
