High COVID numbers in Kershaw County School District

Kershaw County started its schools two weeks before all other schools of the country and had high COVID numbers for a long period.

The number of COVID cases have peaked and are currently trending downward.

Shay Coston, a Doby’s Mill Elementary parent, was concerned about the rising COVID numbers.

“I was worried, I didn’t want him sick with it,” she said.

According to data, the son of Coston did not get sick, and the number of students in Kershaw County with COVID began to drop drastically.

The virus has infected 135 students, and 590 have been quarantined.

During the peak of the delta variant this school year, 14 hundred students were quarantined.

“It’s very exciting seeing our numbers starting to take a dive a little bit,” said Superintendent Shane Robbins. “We are still cognizant it’s a rollercoaster, but it’s good to get them back face to face full time.”

Robbins also consults with other school districts on how to reduce COVID-19 cases among students.

He claims that social distancing, masks, testing, separating students, and contact tracing, as well as the community’s help in being vaccinated, will make a significant effect.

“For us, the community has been supportive in trying to do the right things at home,” said Dr. Robbins. “They have them 16-18 hours a day so if they test positive it’s probably outside of schools.”

According to Kershaw Country employees, 21 people have tested positive for COVID and three have been quarantined.

Coston is pleased with the decrease in numbers, but she is still taking measures.

“I still send him with the mask just in case,” she said.