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Rapid rise causes school closure

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By Donnie A. Lucas

A rapid increase in the number of positive COVID-19 test results last week, along with the Shackelford County Health Clinic having to close for a day and a half at the end of the week, led Albany school officials to cancel classes last Friday.

The number of positive test results reached a one-week high last week with 116 positive results from the 235 tests administered locally, according to the weekly update issued by the county judge on Tuesday.

The record number of cases was recorded despite the Shackelford County Health Clinic closing at noon last Thursday due to a shortage of personnel.

“We just didn’t have the staff to keep the doors open,” nurse practitioner Travis Wilburn said. “We opened on Monday this week and did our best to keep up with a couple of staff members still gone.”

The clinic was expected to be back at full staff on Tuesday.

“We were low on rapid tests but our back order came in on Monday afternoon,” Wilburn said. “We also have PCR tests available, but those have to be sent off to be processed, which can take a couple of days to get results back, depending on how busy the lab is.”

The total number of positive cases last week includes tests administered at the health clinic, the EMS station and Resource Care Community Health Center.

The total reported does not include any information about tests administered outside Albany or by use of home tests, which according to officials is also thought to be a substantial number.

The federal government just went live on Tuesday with a website where every household can order four at-home COVID tests free of charge. Anyone interested can go online: www.COVIDtests.gov.

Wilburn said Monday that it continues to be re­commended that all citizens wear masks, wash hands frequently, and practice social distancing even if fully vaccinated.

Anyone who has not received the series of two vaccines or the booster follow-up dose is advised to do so by the CDC and the medical community as a whole.

Albany Junior/Senior High School, which closed last Friday and were off on Monday for a holiday, reported near normal absences on Tuesday.

“Everyone who was out last week and was supposed to return did with just a couple of exceptions,” AJSHS principal Glen Hill said at the end of the school day Tuesday.

The elementary campus was still reporting higher than normal absences with a total of 39 students out for various reasons on Tuesday.

Superintendent Jonathan Scott said on Monday that the decision was made to closed the schools last Friday because of the health clinic closing, coupled with the number of absences the school was experiencing.

“When the county health clinic closed, we couldn’t keep up with the number of new positive tests,” he said. “Since we were already scheduled to have a three-day weekend with the Monday holiday, we thought it was an opportune time to get a four-day break for things to settle down.”

Scott said that the district has been fortunate that the staff has not been as hard hit with this round of the virus and most were well enough to be in their classrooms.

“We hope the four-day break will slow the spread of COVID,” Scott said. “We will continue to monitor the numbers and make necessary changes.”

He noted that this week is also shortened due to the holiday for the local stock show on Friday.

Anyone experiencing COVID-19 symptoms can make an appointment to be tested at one of the three local locations.

Free COVID-19 testing is offered the Shackelford County EMS Station. Call 325-762-3313 to schedule an appointment.

The Shackelford County Health Clinic (325-762-3661) and ResourceCare Community Health Center (325-762-2447) both offer testing and vaccines, including boosters, by appointment.

Currently, immunization shots and boosters are offered without cost as part of a federal program.

Children ages 5-17 can now receive the vaccine and a booster, but only the Pfizer vaccine is currently approved for that age group and must be obtained in Abilene.

Moderna’s vaccine is currently being tested for kids six months to five years old and could be the first one for that age group to get approval from the FDA.