HARRISBURG, Pa. — Note: The video is from Dec. 6.
As the number of COVID-19 cases in Dauphin County continues to rise, Harrisburg Area School District Superintendent Eric Turman said Tuesday that the district is considering a return to remote learning.
In a letter Tuesday, Turman asked students, families and staff to have plans in place "if there is a decision to implement a fully remote learning mode for students."
Turman called the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in the county "concerning," noting that Dauphin County's current positivity rate of 16% and its incidence rate of 221 per 100,000 are "some of the highest numbers we've seen in almost a year."
The rise in numbers is even more concerning, Turman said, given the availability of vaccines and booster shots for many in the community.
Turman said the school district also continues to monitor the city's Biobot wastewater report, which he says is showing record levels of prevalence of the COVID-19 virus running through the city's wastewater.
The school district "will do everything possible to maintain in-person learning as we are aware how important it is for students," Turman said.
But COVID-19 is continuing to spread at a rapid rate, he added, forcing the school district to consider a return to remote learning as a safety measure.
"If there is a need to transition to remote instruction, we will consistently monitor and do so for short periods of time (1-2 week increments), understanding the COVID data and health and safety will ultimately dictate what our next steps may be," Turman said. "As Superintendent, I am committed to our students, staff and families and will continue to monitor the status of COVID-19 and keep you informed."
A spokesperson for the Central Dauphin School District has no plans to move toward remote learning at this time.
“We plan to remain in-person," the spokesperson told FOX43.