Bishop schools also battle high Covid cases,

Football team cancels match, county reports a total of 37 pediatric cases since start of school

While Mammoth Lakes schools deal with an increase in Covid-19 cases, Inyo County and its school superintendents continue to monitor the situation locally.

Marilyn Mann, director of the Inyo County Department of Health and Human Services, said Monday that in addition to the case updates the county posts three times a week, the county also is keeping tabs on its pediatric population.

Mann said the county’s contact tracing team pulled some aggregate numbers on Friday regarding the number of pediatric cases the county is seeing locally. Since the beginning of the school year on Aug. 14, through Friday, the county has had a total of 37 pediatric cases (under the age of 18).

“We are not aware of any serious cases in that population that required hospitalization,” Mann stated in an email Monday. “However, when a pediatric case is identified, it does require the identification of close contacts who are then quarantined to reduce the risk of further spread.

Mann said the county’s Public Health team works with local school districts to coordinate the best response to ensure the health and safety of children and staff.

Vaccination continues to be one of the best prevention tools available, Mann stated. Public Health encourages residents who are not vaccinated to consult with their physician about the benefits and risks of the vaccine and Covid-19.

Inyo County on Friday reported 1,664 positive Covid-19 cases, which is a 13-case increase since Sept. 15. There were 48 active cases on Friday in Inyo County.

Bishop Unified School District Superintendent Katherine Kolker at a school board meeting last week updated the Covid-19 data at the schools after one month of in-class instruction.

She said since school started in August, the schools have seen 25 positive Covid tests (four staff and

21 students). There have been no hospitalizations. As of Friday, Sept. 17, Inyo County Public Health

reported 15 “active” Covid cases in the 0-17 age group.

The schools are conducting contact tracing when a student tests positive for Covid, and quarantines

can be put in place based on testing and contact tracing. If unvaccinated students in the “close contact” group have no symptoms, they can remain in class and are tested regularly. Students who have had a

Covid vaccine can return to class. The state Department of Public Heath reports that more than 45 percent of Inyo County residents ages 12 to 17 have received at least one vaccine dose, according to The Los Angeles Times.

In response to concerns raised by parents, Kokler said representatives from the Inyo County Public

Health Department would be coming to the schools this week to offer ways to improve student privacy

during testing and maintain confidentiality regarding test results.