COVID-19: Cases Rising In Waukesha Schools

WAUKESHA, WI — In the first three weeks of school, the School District of Waukesha has recorded 168 COVID-19 cases among its student body.

There have been 127 new positive cases among students from Sunday to Friday. The school district added eight new cases Friday for its sixth to 12th grade students, according to district data.

Some 260 students are in self-quarantine as of Friday, district data showed. There have been 21 cases among staff since school started.

The Waukesha School Board will meet to talk about transitioning its learning module if six school and community criteria are met:

• If 25 percent of its student body absent for five days.
• If 20 percent of its staff absent for five days.
• If 75 percent of its substitute positions can't be filled.
• If 25 percent of school buildings switch to virtual learning for five days.
• If there 1,000 new cases per day per 100,000 people for 10 consecutive days.
• If 75 percent of acute hospital beds are full.
• If 85 percent of intensive care unit beds are full.

Three of the six criteria have been met from Tuesday to Thursday - there have been less than 75 percent of substitute positions filled, 75 percent of acute hospital beds are full and 85 percent of intensive care unit beds are full.

See Also: WI Hits 700K Total COVID-19 Cases, 95 Percent ICU Beds Full

Masks are optional in the Waukesha school district, though having students and staff wear face coverings is a mitigation effort the district has proposed. People should wear masks regardless of vaccination status in a county where COVID-19 transmission is high, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Waukesha County had very high case activity from Sept. 8 to Sept. 21, according to Wisconsin Department of Health and Services data. The county's case burden is 610 positive virus cases per 100,000 people.

Some 58.1 percent of residents in Waukesha County have completed the coronavirus vaccine series, according to state health data. Some 44.7 percent of residents ages 12-15 are fully vaccinated as well.

Patch reached out to the School District of Waukesha for comment.