Coronavirus Cases At D202 Decrease Amid Return To Remote Learning

PLAINFIELD, IL — The number of coronavirus cases among students and staff members of the Plainfield School District 202 increased slightly after going down the week before, according to recent data.

As of Friday, 216 employees and students have tested positive since Aug. 10. The new cases last week numbered 30, compared to 22 the week before, according to the district. As of Friday, 46 students and staff members in the district had direct exposure to COVID-19 in the last week, which means being within 6 feet of a person with COVID-19 for more than 15 minutes, living in the same household as someone with COVID-19, or having extended exposure over a period of time with someone with COVID-19.

Despite the recent increase, cases in the district have been showing a downward trend since all students were asked to return to fully remote learning as cases continued to surge. D202 had a plan to bring back students in groups, however, as the COVID-19 metrics spiraled upward, it decided Nov. 9 to put its plans on hold indefinitely and not return more students until conditions improved. The multi-needs students also returned to remote learning Nov. 16.

The district on its website said that even though the numbers seem to be improving, the data only shows cases among students and staff who are in-person at district schools/facilities for either instruction, athletics, or activities.