Rocky Mount ES among 11 Cobb schools with new COVID-19 cases

Eleven elementary schools in the Cobb County School District reported confirmed COVID-19 cases this week, including Rocky Mount ES in East Cobb.

The district updated its COVID-19 case total on Friday, and it showed 25 new cases from last week, the first for elementary schools students who opted to return for in-person learning.

Since July 1, a total of 349 cases among students and staff have been reported in the Cobb school district. Last week, that number was 324.

The schools reporting cases this week are all different from last week, and all of them are reporting 10 or fewer cases. They include:

Acworth Intermediate
Bullard ES
Chalker ES
Frey ES
Hollydale ES
Mableton ES
Milford ES
Rocky Mount ES
Still ES
Varner ES

The figures do not distinguish between students, teachers and other staff. Last week, Blackwell, Eastvalley, Nicholson, Powers Ferry and Shallowford Falls in East Cobb reported COVID cases but none this week.

The district explained that in accordance with student and health privacy laws, “the Georgia Department of Public Health recommends refraining from publicly publishing numbers of cases or quarantined students or staff that are less than 10 unless the number is 0.”

Cobb and Douglas Public health will “communicate confirmed cases to affected students/staff/ parents,” according to CCSD protocols.

Those guidelines also state that those who test positive “will isolate until 10 consecutive days have passed from their positive COVID-19 test and they are asymptomatic.”

At a Cobb Board of Education work session Thursday, superintendent Chris Ragsdale said the district has ordered a variety of personal protective equipment, including masks and plexiglass dividers as well as cleaning supplies.

The district details health and safety protocols in this FAQ and encourages parents to follow a daily well-being checklist before sending students to school. More health and safety information can be found here.