HOUSTON COUNTY, Ga. — COVID-19 cases are on the rise in Central Georgia schools, including in Houston County.
13WMAZ spoke to Houston County's Assistant Superintendent of Student Services about the new policies the district has put in place to help slow the spread.
Houston County Schools says more than 700 students have tested positive, including 444 just last week. Around 100 staffers have also tested positive. Those numbers have some parents concerned.
Amber Vining had three kids in Houston schools, but recently, she's homeschooling two.
"We have chosen that we're going to take our daughters out of school at this moment, because we cannot control what other people are doing and we don't feel like it's safe," Vining said.
She has concerns with how the school district has handled COVID-19 protocols and she wants masks to be mandatory for all.
"My main focus is for these kids to be safe, and for the adults in their lives, we're charged with keeping them safe and the least that we can do, and what the data supports is wearing masks," said Vining.
Zabrina Cannady, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, says district leaders meet weekly to discuss ways to stop the spread.
She says they've recently added more precautions like barriers in classes, assigned seating, and one-way hallways.
"We are going back to the directional seating in the lunchrooms. We are also giving alternatives to eating in the lunchroom such as eating in classrooms," said Cannady.
She says masks will remain optional unless someone is in close contact with a positive case or they're fully vaccinated but had a positive case in their home.
"The identification of close contacts and asking them to mask while at school or to choose the quarantine option, that is something new and that is something that we have just recently added to our protocols," explained Cannady.
Cannady says they're concerned when any child has symptoms of any illness, so they're doing the best to stay on top of things. "Parents are our partners and they are so important to us across the district, and we want them to feel safe sending their students to us for in-person learning."
Cannady says if numbers get too high, they have tools in place to shift to a virtual learning for a particular classroom or grade.
She also says those who are exposed directly to the virus will be required to quarantine at home for 10 days.