Springfield Public Schools, colleges say masking and vaccinations keeping COVID-19 cases low on campus

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - Springfield’s four different college campuses along with Springfield Public Schools and the Springfield-Greene County Health Department reported Wednesday on vaccination numbers and COVID-19 cases on each of their campuses from the first few weeks of school.

Vaccinations across all college campuses top more students than half and COVID-19 cases remain low

“Thanks to our community’s ongoing work to suppress this disease we are happy to report that new cases in all age groups have decreased over the past two weeks,” Katie Townes, Springfield Greene County Health Department Director said.

She called it a major feat as school starts for the fall semester. Every school across Springfield reports shifts in numbers compared to those seen last year. Springfield Public Schools reports it is the mask requirement keeping those numbers low, with 56 students positive for coronavirus currently. Health officials see higher numbers of younger people getting sick. Nearly half of the cases SPS is seeing are those in elementary school. This is very different than last school year when middle school and high school held the top spot.

SPS Superintendent Dr. Grenita Lathan says this is why they will continue to wear masks and follow recommendations, to protect the smallest students.

“From the beginning, SPS has been clear that our health and safety protocols will, and shouldn’t be guided by science, and the recommendations of public health experts,” she says.

Missouri State University’s David Hall said this time in 2020, on campus they were seeing 10 times as many COVID-19 cases. He says vaccinations are playing its role in that. For students living on campus, they are seeing nearly 60 percent of the student’s vaccinated. They also pointed out that a majority of their faculty and staff have also been vaccinated on campus.

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