A handful of schools in central Illinois have had short-term challenges related to keeping school doors open so far this fall thanks to a perfect storm of COVID mitigations and a shortage of substitute teachers.

As schools continue to deal with COVID mitigations for students and staff when cases arise, administrators are indicating there is no spread of COVID in schools, something they noticed throughout the school year in 2020-21. DeWitt/Piatt Bi-County Health Department Executive Director Dave Remmert is confirming they too, are finding that to be the case.

Conversations regarding COVID have largely shifted how to handle schools and children. Remmert points to CDC data that shows the very minimal risk for kids from COVID and agrees with experts we've done more to protect children from this disease than the most vulnerable populations.

With a small number of local cases in recent months, Remmert has been able to begin to shift his focus back to the administrative duties of the health department and begin to reintroduce programs and services.