No new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the two local school districts the past two weeks and school officials are keeping their fingers crossed the trend continues. Jeff Underwood, Director of Operations for Senatobia schools, said all 39 people previously quarantined in the district for 14 days are back in school and participating in school-related activities. Students were allowed to continue their lessons through distance learning while in quarantine. Senatobia had five COVID-19 cases during its first two of days of school Aug. 17 and 18, including three at the high school and two at the middle school. The district is taking special precautions to slow the spread of the virus by requiring students and personnel to wear masks at all times, stressing the importance of frequent hand sanitizing as well as social distancing. Four students in Tate County Schools tested positive for COVID-19 during the first week of classes. There have not been any cases reported since Aug. 25, according to Superintendent Alee’ Dixon. Dixon said 18 students in TCSD remain under quarantine after contact tracing uncovered those individuals came in close contact with people who tested positive for the virus. In hopes of keeping COVID-19 somewhat contained, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves extended the statewide mask order an additional two weeks through Monday Sept. 14. He also loosened restrictions on attendance at school events. “The next 10 days are critical,” Reeves said during a press briefing Aug. 31. “That is why we have extended the order.” Reeves and State Epidemiologist Paul Byers warned against large social gatherings and other behaviors that could transmit COVID-19. Byers said COVID-19 numbers are “trending down” but may now be “starting to level off.” This could prime the state for a resurgence in cases if large swathes of the state abandon social distancing, masking and other related practices. Reeves said he believes the state has made enough progress to loosen some restrictions. He signed an executive order allowing attendance at all kindergarten through 12th grade extracurricular activities to no more than 25 percent of the maximum capacity allowed at the venue, depending on space available to ensure social distancing. The new order includes all MHSAA sports and activities. The previous rule only allowed two spectators per participant. The new order excludes coaches, directors, teachers, referees/officials, medical personnel, staff/workers and members of the media from the 25 percent capacity limit. Mississippi reported its first child death as a result of COVID-19 on Wednesday, Sept. 2, according to State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs Dobbs said a “healthy child” between the age of one and five died from COVID-19 and also suffered from Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), which is an illness associated with child COVID-19 cases. No other details were released. Tate County reported an additional 19 cases of COVID-19 last week and three virus-related deaths, according to statistics from the Mississippi Department of Health. A total of 870 cases and 35 deaths have been registered locally since the pandemic began in March.
