COBB COUNTY, Ga. — High schoolers in Cobb County went back to the classroom a little more than a week ago and already, a majority of those schools have reported COVID-19 cases.
However, health leaders said they believe pandemic fatigue outside school walls is what's causing the problem.
"It is following community transmission," Janet Memark said, who is the director of Cobb and Douglas Public Health. "So as community transmission, our case rate goes higher, we are seeing higher number in the school."
Memark reported COVID-19 cases amongst Cobb County schools students and staff are reflective of an increase county wide.
"COVID fatigue is something that is definitely real. I'm seeing decreased mask use," Memark said.
She also credits a rise in cases around Cobb County to too many people having small gatherings.
"As we head into the holidays you really have a situation that is kind of the perfect storm," Memark said.
In Cobb County, a total of 53 schools in the district have reported COVID-19 cases, but all have less than 10 cases. That number is up from 33 schools earlier this month.
On Nov. 5, the district's high schools allowed students to opt into face-to-face classes, which accounts for most of the jump with 13 out of 17 district high schools now reporting cases.
Memark said the majority of recent cases though aren't linked to transmission at school.
"People are getting it from family members or at other gatherings, socializing. Even some of the sporting stuff, it wasn't even actually in the activity it was the parties and stuff outside," she explained.
From August until October, COVID-19 cases in Cobb County trended downward. Memark said at one point in October there were fewer than 100 new cases over a two-week period per 100,000 people. High risk or high community transmission is considered 100 new cases or more. As of Monday night the number reached 203 new cases per 100,000 people.
"We've seen a definite trend upward in hospitalizations as well. I anticipate we will see deaths as well after that unfortunately," Memark said.
In Cobb schools, Memark credited the district's mask mandate and other safety measures for helping.
As cases rise around the county, though, parents have to decide by Nov. 29 between in-person or virtual learning for the spring semester.
For families struggling to decide, Memark said they should consider how their child's school is currently responding to the virus. If there is anyone in their home with health conditions and they should also seek advice from their personal doctor.