Dr. Rupp: No surprise to see COVID-19 in area schools

Dr. Rupp: No surprise to see COVID-19 in area schools

CORONAVIRUSCOVERAGE NOW...AREA SCHOOLS ARENAVIGATING THE SAFESTWAYS TO REOPENDURING THIS PANDEMIC.SOME OF THOSESCHOOLS HAVE ALREADYREPORTED COVID-19CASES WITHIN THECLASSROOM.REPORTER KENTLUETZEN MET VIRTUALLYWITH AN INFECTIOUSDISEASE DOCTOR WHOSAYS THIS IS TO BEEXPECTED."UNFORTUNATELY, I'MNOT AT ALL SURPRISEDTHAT YOU ARE SEEINGCASES IN KIDS AS THEYCOME BACK TO SCHOOL."NEBRASKA MEDICALCENTER DOCTOR MARKRUPP SAYS KIDS NEED TOBE BACK IN SCHOOL, BUTWITH CASES ALREADYPOPPING UP WITHIN THEBUILDINGS AND A HIGHPOSITIVITY RATE WITHINTHE COUNTY IT'S GOINGTO BE TOUGH TONAVIGATE."THE NUMBERS THAT WEARE SEEING OVERWALLWITHIN THE COMMUNITYREFLECT THE FACT THATTHIS VIRUS ISTRANSMITTING WITHINTHE COMMUNITY IT'SPRETTY WIDESPREAD."RUPP SAYS CHILDRENCAN EASILY BECOMEINFECTED AND THEY DOSHED THE VIRUS AT AFAIRLY HIGH LEVEL JUSTAS MUCH AS ADULTSMEANING THEY CAN PLAYA ROLE IN COMMUNITYSPREAD.STAND UP: ACCORDINGTO DR.RUPP SCHOOLS SHOULDBE IMPLEMENTING HANDWASHING, MASKWEARING AND SOCIALDISTANCING.BUT, RUPP SAYS THEREIS ONE MORE THINGSCHOOLS COULD ALSOBEING DOING THAT' STOCHECK THE VENTILATIONIN THE BUILDING, OR IFPOSSIBLE MOVE THECLASSROOM OUT IN THEFRESH AIR."I'M STILL DISMAYEDWHEN I DRIVE AROUNDTOWN AND I SEE PEOPLEIN VENUES THAT ARECROWDED TOGETHERAND PEOPLE ARE FACE-TO-FACE AND NOTWEARING MASK AND THISOF COURSE CANNOT BEPERMITTED ANYMORE."IN OMAHA.KL.3NN.DR.RUPP IS HOPEFUL THERECENT MASK MANDATEWILL HELP GET THECOMMUNITY SPREAD ANDPOSITIVITY RATE DOWNWITHIN THE NEXT 4 TO 6WEEKS.