Health department COVID-19 page includes school outbreaks

The Virginia Department of Health COVID-19 data website now includes a dashboard which shows a line list of COVID-19 outbreaks in kindergarten-12th grade schools by school name with associated case numbers and deaths.

The dashboard can be found at https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus/outbreaks-in-school-settings/. It shows current and previous outbreaks of COVID-19 in specific schools in Virginia.

The dashboard will help schools measure the extent to which the COVID-19 virus is spreading in their localities and guide possible responses to mitigate that spread.

“Fully re-opening our schools remains a priority as we work to slow the spread of COVID-19,” said Dr. Norman Oliver, Virginia health commissioner. “Students have different learning styles, and for some, face-to-face interactions in a classroom are important to achievement. Educational settings also provide significant social benefits that cannot be overstated. By providing additional information on where outbreaks are occurring we hope to provide a broader picture of the impact of COVID-19 and help communities decide where to place resources to prevent and control outbreaks. Given the changing nature of the pandemic, we felt providing these data at this time poses no risk to public health investigations or to compromising patient anonymity.”

Outbreaks on this dashboard represent discrete outbreaks occurring at schools. Only cases associated with outbreaks are displayed and not the total number of cases that are students or staff but unrelated to the outbreak. The dashboard lists public and private schools. Only the outbreaks where transmission occurred at the school or school-sponsored events are included.

It is important to note that the presence of an outbreak at a school does not reflect a school’s ability to educate its students or to protect the health and safety of its school community. Schools and local health departments work together to identify best practices to prevent and control COVID-19 in schools and to promote a healthy learning environment for students and staff.

Each outbreak is investigated by the local health department. Public health professionals make recommendations on ways to prevent further spread of the virus to protect staff, students and visitors. Educational institutions work collaboratively with public health to respond. To find out more about an outbreak and the steps being taken to control it, contact the educational institution.

For more information on COVID-19 in Virginia, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus and www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.