Act Now By Social Distancing, Wearing Mask: Fulton Superintendent

FULTON COUNTY, GA — Fulton County Schools Superintendent Mike Looney said on Twitter Thursday that the public needs to wear masks and practice social distancing so students can return to classrooms in August.

"PSA: To be brutally honest, we need everyone to act now," Looney wrote. "We're seeing a significant rise in cases and that has to change for us to go back to face-to-face instruction Please practice social distancing and wear a face covering now. We REALLY want to see our kiddos on August 10th."

PSA: To be brutally honest, we need everyone to act now. We're seeing a significant rise in cases and that has to change for us to go back to face-to-face instruction Please practice social distancing and wear a face covering now. We REALLY want to see our kiddos on August 10th.
— Dr. Mike Looney (@FCSSuptLooney) June" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/FCSSuptLoo... 25, 2020

The Fulton County School District revealed a response plan last week for the 2020-21 school year in the case that a second wave of the coronavirus hits the school district.

The interim school closure plan includes four scenarios for how the district will react and precautions schools will take in the case that a student or staff member tests positive for coronavirus during the school year.

Devised as a matrix, the plan includes three levels of community spread: low/no spread (five or less cases per 100,000 people); moderate spread (six to 100 cases per 100,000 people); and substantial spread (greater than 100 cases per 100,000 people).

The plan also offers four closure response criteria.

Criteria 1:

• 1 student or 1 staff member at one site, or 1 student or 1 staff member at multiple sites in different clusters
• With low/no spread: close schools for up to 24 hours
• With moderate spread: close schools for up to 24 hours
• With substantial spread: close schools for up to 72 hours

Criteria 2:

• 2-4 students or staff members at one site, or 204 students or staff members at multiple sites in different clusters
• With low/no spread: close schools for 72 hours
• With moderate spread: close schools for 72 hours
• With substantial spread: close schools/zone/region/district for 72 hours

Criteria 3:

• 5 or more students or staff members at one site, or in one cluster
• With low/no spread: close individual school or cluster for 14 days
• With moderate spread: close individual school or cluster for 14 days
• With substantial spread: close school/zone/region/district for 14 days

Criteria 4:

• 5 or more students or staff members in multiple clusters
• With low/no spread: close zone/region/district for 14 days
• With moderate spread: close zone/region/district for 14 days
• With substantial spread: district closed until further notice

Fulton County Schools plan to reopen Aug. 10, as of now. No decision has yet been made on the type of instruction – whether in-person or online– students will receive next year. A special meeting has been called for June 29.

Related: Fulton Co. Schools Draft Coronavirus Response Plan For Next Year