COVID cases in local schools close to zero

The Lincoln Parish School District’s journey out of the Omicron-induced surge of COVID-19 appears to be all but complete.

Tuesday’s weekly survey of COVID cases and absences across the school system showed the lowest totals of the school year.

Just 10 total students were at home Tuesday due to either contracting the virus or quarantining from exposure to a positive case. Just three of those students had tested positive or were symptomatic and awaiting test results.

That 10 compares to the 431 students who were out for COVID reasons on Jan. 12 during the height of the fifth surge of the virus across the state.

“We’re excited that we’re almost down to zero,” Superintendent Ricky Durrett said Thursday. “Just being able to keep students back in school full time is exciting for us as a district and as teachers, to have them there to teach every day.”

Meanwhile, not a single teacher or other school district employee was sidelined by COVID on Tuesday.

It was primarily an employee and substitute shortage that prompted an unplanned, two-day school closure during that same week in January when COVID numbers were highest.

“(Having no COVID absences) is helping with the sub situation,” Durrett said. “We’re hoping that we’re closer to just having school every and teaching kids in person every day.”