Officials want families to get COVID tests after coming back from spring break trips

Click here for updates on this story

    MICHIGAN (WNEM) — With a rise in cases just before many mid-Michigan students head off to possible spring break destinations there’s growing concern among schools to revert back to remote classes once vacation is over. A local superintendent said it’s a fluid situation.

“We just hope everybody’s doing their due diligence as far as what CDC guidelines are promoting. And when the kids get back, we’ll hopefully have a great end of the school year,” said Anthony Bethiaume, New Lothrop Area Public Schools Superintendent.

Berthiaume said he knows there are families planning to travel for spring break next week. At the moment, Berthiaume said classes will be held in person when instruction resumes in April. But it’s a fluid situation.

“There has been conversation at the county level as to looking at virtual after spring break,” he said. “Especially the first week or two after spring break. But as of right now I believe all our county schools are planning on staying in session. Again, that’s just of as of right now. Things can change obviously with COVID.”

Berthiaume wants to see those who travel to receive a free rapid COVID-19 test on April 3 at the Corunna Public Schools transportation site.

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian said at this time there are 28 post spring break school testing sessions scheduled across the state.

“We’re really concerned with people that could be traveling out of state for spring break or other vacations, going to places where there is high transmission of COVID,” she said.

Bagdasarian said the test is quick and easy.

“It will be nasal swab testing done via an antigen test, so the results are available in fifteen minutes,” she said.

Bagdasarian believes we’re at a tipping point in the pandemic. She says we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. But if we let our guard down it will take longer to get there.

“We’re at risk of seeing another surge the way we did in the fall. As you know we’re already seeing numbers go up and now is the time to take action,” she said.

As for Berthiaume, he says there’s been a slight uptick in positive COVID-19 cases in his district recently. Given that he’s optimistic classes will finish the year face to face.

“I’m very confident that we have the resources, we have the protocols in place to make sure our students are face to face for the remainder of the school year,” he said.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.