COVID-19 Outbreaks In HCPS Continue With 'Glimmers Of Hope'

BEL AIR, MD — The decline in coronavirus positivity and case rates in Harford County are signs of the virus slowing its spread. However, officials in the school system caution that COVID-19 is still highly prevalent in the community.

"We're beginning to see some slight glimmers of hope in our metrics," Supervisor of Health Services Mary Nasuta said. "But it's important to remember that we remain in high transmission."

Two weeks ago, the positivity rate was over 31 percent in Harford County, Nasuta reported at Monday night's school board meeting. The positivity rate was 17.33 percent Monday, according to the Maryland Department of Health.

The case rate was nearly 175 per 100,000 two weeks ago, and it was 63.38 per 100,000 people in Harford County as of Monday, state health officials said. Case rates are lower in Harford County than the state average of 73.82 per 100,000.

When an area exceeds 10 new cases per 100,000, community spread has accelerated and is at dangerous levels, according to the Harvard Global Health Institute. If the case rate is greater than 25 per 100,000, officials say community spread is out of control and may require measures to curb the infection.

COVID-19 Outbreaks In HCPS

"We currently have seven outbreaks reported on the Maryland Department of Health website," Nasuta said Monday.

Here are the Harford County Public Schools with outbreaks as of Jan. 19, according to state health officials:

• Bel Air Middle School — 6
• Hickory Elementary School — 3
• Homestead/Wakefield Elementary School — 7
• John Archer School — 6
• Norrisville Elementary School — 5
• Patterson Mill Middle School — 24
• William Paca/Old Post Road Elementary School — 8

Three of those included in the Jan. 19 list are considered school outbreaks, while the others are "classroom outbreaks," Nasuta said.

A schoolwide outbreak is defined as at least five classrooms or cohorts with cases from separate households in 14 days; or 5 percent of unrelated students, teachers or staff (at least 10 who are unrelated) having tested positive for COVID-19 within a two-week period.

Classroom outbreaks mean at least three confirmed cases of COVID-19 within 14 days are epidemiologically linked.

When the state updates its metrics on Wednesday, its dashboard will reflect that Harford County Public Schools is "also watching six more classroom outbreaks," Nasuta said.

As far as private schools in Harford County, John Carroll has 52 cases and Trinity Lutheran has 13 cases as of Jan. 19, according to state data.

The public school system has seen a spike in infections in 2022, according to Nasuta.

"We have 4,244 students and 774 staff who have reported to us that they've tested positive for COVID-19 this school year," Nasuta said, in Harford County Public Schools. "But even more informative is that almost half of these positive cases were reported to us since the first of this calendar year. This is the power of omicron."

The omicron variant has been shown to be more transmissible than other variants of COVID-19, and Nasuta asked people to keep taking precautions to prevent its spread.

"Please do not send your child to school sick. You cannot tell if illnesses are COVID without testing," Nasuta said Monday. "It may look like allergies or strep or a cold, but all of these symptoms could be COVID."

She encouraged people to monitor symptoms and check their temperatures before going to any school buildings.

"Of course, please get your COVID vaccine and booster and remember, consistent and well fitting masks and distancing are effective," Nasuta said. "Please wear your mask in all public places."