State says it doesn’t have to give COVID-19 info for metro schools, colleges

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — It could get more difficult for parents to make a decision about schools during the coronavirus pandemic.

The state health department says it doesn’t legally have to give parents the number of cases in their schools.

It’s information that many are using to gauge whether to send their kids back or not.

Georgia Tech, along with many other schools, told Channel 2′s Tyisha Fernandes that they are going to remain transparent and tell people how many infections they have on campus.

But some public school districts, like Cobb County, have never been transparent and the Georgia Department of Public Health’s decision encourages that behavior.

“I think the public has a right to know the numbers in the community,” said one Georgia Tech student, asking not to be identified.

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The student has created a social media forum that helps keep her institute transparent when it comes to COVID-19.

“If it looks like there aren’t cases, then everything looks fine, everything looks safe, and I think that’s a reflection on the national stance on COVID right now,” the student said.

She believes the election season is making state and federal officials withhold information.

“I think like the whole state – everyone is trying to not report numbers. But that doesn’t make the problem go away,” the student said.

From now on, if a parent and anyone else wants to know how many infections are in schools, they have to hope the schools will tell them.

Most districts told Fernandes they will still post the numbers on their website regardless of the state health department saying they don’t have to report them.

The Cobb County School District is the only district in metro Atlanta who has never publicized their COVID-19 numbers.

“I’m really struggling to find the good here. Maybe if people don’t know the real numbers then maybe they’ll have peace of mind. I don’t. Ignorance is bliss, especially with something like a virus,” the student said.

Currently, about 30% of Georgia schools aren’t reporting their numbers to DPH at all because they don’t want the media to make it public.

DPH is now making that possible, and many people in the community don’t understand how that’s legal.

Amid COVID-19 pandemic, only 39% of all Georgia schools have a full-time nurse, association says The National Association of School Nurses said there is currently a major shortage of school nurses across the country, including in Georgia.

Cox Media Group