After being virtual for almost a year and a half, Delano schools opened their schools back up on August 10; within the first week, students were already being tested to see if they were positive for COVID-19. 

Cases in Kern County are increasing at a high rate, but the schools are still open and providing a testing site on campus in the auditorium.

“I feel as if they’re not handling it with the best precautions,” one high school student in Delano explained. “Due to them having students who may not even be positive, gather in a room full of positive testers which increases their risk of COVID-19 even more than need be.” 

Many students and parents are becoming worried about the health and safety of everyone on campus. Parents are concerned that if they allow them to continue attending school, that their child could possibly contract COVID-19. 

“It’s very unorganized and the admin is sending students back to class with no knowledge of if they have COVID or not,” another Delano student described. “I believe the school isn’t handling the COVID outbreak the best that they could, which I could understand because they want as many kids as they can have in the classroom as possible. But our health is more important. I love our school and the students, but the school, the district, and us, the students must do a better job of keeping everyone healthy.”

With COVID-19 cases increasing rapidly in all of Kern County, it’s important that we continue to wear our masks correctly, wash our hands, and sanitize.  

For information on the COVID-19 vaccine and where to get it, visit myturn.ca.gov or the CDC website.