COVID-19 cases double in Cobb schools as county declares state of emergency

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — COVID-19 cases doubled in Cobb County Schools this week, just three weeks into the new school year.

The district reported 1,764 total cases of COVID-19 among students and staff Friday. That’s up from 822 total cases reported last week.

The new numbers include 936 active cases.

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The new numbers come the day after the county issued an emergency declaration as cases of COVID-19 surge in Cobb County. The county is seeing an average of 280 new COVID-19 cases a day as of Friday.

The schools with the most positive cases of COVID-19 include East Side Elementary (84), Sprayberry High School (51), Walton High School (50), Dowell Elementary (44), Barber Middle School (43) and Nickajack Elementary (38).

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Only four schools in the district have reported zero cases of the virus, the three virtual schools and the South Cobb Early Learning Center.

Parents have been clashing since the start of school over the district’s optional mask policy.

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More than 200 concerned parents on both sides of the mask issue rallied outside Cobb County School District headquarters Thursday night as the superintendent chose to uphold the current mask-optional policy.

On Friday, the district released updated quarantine guidelines, saying that students identified as close contacts with a confirmed case will need to quarantine for three days and wear a mask on district property for an additional seven days after exposure, regardless of vaccination status.

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