Extracurricular activities increase positive COVID cases in schools

VERMILION PARISH, La. (KLFY)- Vermilion Parish Superintendent Tommy Byler says although schools will be affected by covid-19, cooperation from staff parents and students decreases the chances of more positive cases entering the schools.

Schools across Acadiana are switching to all virtual learning because of an increase of positive COVID cases in the classroom.
Vermilion parish superintendent Tommy Byler says all but one school in the district is switching to virtual learning only. He says other schools in the district are having a lot of success.

"The quarantine numbers do get up there sometimes and that makes a few people nervous, but we've had very few kids that we've quarantined who have actually ended up testing positive a little bit later," he said.

However, Byler says positive cases are not necessary due to a lack of precaution taken in schools. He says, he believes extracurricular
Activities cause the increase.

"We've had adults who picked it up outside we've had kids who picked it up outside," Byler said. "We had kids. Who picked it up at homecoming activities or Halloween parties or on hybrid days kids are not staying home necessarily. And they're going out shopping or those types of things."

Byler says since being hybrid the numbers in elementary and middle schools are not increasing.
However, the outcome is different in high-schools.

The number of activities associated with a high school between football games and homecoming. I think," the superintendent said. "When you look at the numbers, it probably played a role."