By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org
There was so much hope at the start of the 2021 school year as school started with in-person learning but 13 weeks in and the toll of the year is starting to have an impact.
Rising COVID cases and teacher shortages have forced both Wyoming and Grand Rapids Public Schools to take “wellness days” in November and December.
“Over the past year and a half, I have encouraged our families, students, and staff to find time for self-care, as you are all continuously riding a rollercoaster of changes, challenges, and opportunities,” wrote Wyoming Superintendent Craig Hoekstra. “In thinking about how to drive encouragement and a way to put my words into action, we have decided to close the entire week of Thanksgiving.”
The district was scheduled to be open only two days next week, Nov. 22 and 23, but will now be closed the entire week. Kelloggsville Public Schools, on its school page, also has made the announcement that it will be closed those days as well due to rising COVID cases and staff shortages.
Earlier this week, Grand Raids Public Schools announced it would be closed two Fridays in December, Dec. 3 and 10 due to a combination of factors related to COVID.
No other schools in the Wyoming or Kentwood communities have made any announcements of closing for mental health or wellness. Godfrey-Lee officials stated they have been asked but have not made any decisions at this time. Kentwood officials stated they are planning to be open Monday and Tuesday the week of Thanksgiving.
Cases on the rise
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Michigan now leads the country in community spread of COVID. Nationwide, the cases per 100,000 are 176 where in Michigan it is 503. In Kent County, it is 591 cases per 100,000, higher than both the state and the national numbers. The 7-day positive rate is 21 percent in Kent County while it is between 10 – 14 percent in the state and about 7 percent nationwide.
According to a letter from the Region 6 Healthcare Coalition, which Kent, Ottawa, Newaygo, Muskegon, and Ionia counties are a part of, the health care systems within the region are at a tipping point. The hospitals and EMS systems in the region are operating at extremely high capacity and have been for weeks.
“It is important to note that the strain on our systems is due to the COVIDE-19 response, plus the many other demands our teams are facing to care for seriously ill patients,” said Jerry Evans, MD, MMM, FACEP, medical director for the Region 6 Healthcare Coalition. “If more people were vaccinated, that would help reduce the number of COVID-19 patients, as most of the COVID-19 patients in the emergency department and admitted remain unvaccinated.
“This is impacting our ability to care for those who are seriously inured in a car accident, suffer a heart attack, stroke, or experience another medical emergency issue.”
Another concern is a wave of influenza with hospital officials encourage people to get the influenza vaccine along with any COVID vaccines and boosters that are available. Residents are encouraged to wash hands frequently, wear a mask when indoors or outdoors when unable to socially distance and practice healthy behaviors such as socially distancing, getting good sleep, eating well, and exercising.
Working to stop transmission
In his letter to parents, Hoekstra said that by closing Wyoming Public Schools for the week of Thanksgiving, it is the hope that it will help to interrupt COVID transmission.
“This is especially important as we deal with continued challenges brought on by COVID-19, including staffing shortages in the classroom,” Hoekstra said.
In fact, Grand Rapids school officials said they selected Friday dates for its wellness days because finding subs for Fridays and Mondays can be challenging. There is a nationwide teacher shortage — along with bus drivers and support staff — with school districts putting out signs in front of facilities along with ads, job fairs, and other talent searches to fill vacancies.
Wyoming, Kelloggsville, and Grand Rapids are not alone in the decision to have wellness days. Schools in Muskegon also have announced decisions to be closed over the Thanksgiving holiday. Schools that due decide to close for mental health and wellness are pulling from their six stated-allotted emergency days, which are usually used for snow days. According to Rep. Tommy Brann, while open to the idea of adding emergency days, it is too early to determine if the state will do so to help schools.
