Local health officials study best approach to school opening

How should schools respond if a student tests positive for coronavirus?

Chezney Schulte with Cole County Health says it is not the department’s call, but she is looking around for the best approach.

“By having one positive case in a class, we’re not only looking at that one that’s going to be excluded but also their close contacts, which is a big barrier to their learning if we have too many people quarantined.”

Schulte says places like Columbia with mandatory mask orders have not seen the big drop in daily coronavirus cases they were hoping for yet.