photo by: Sylas May/Journal-World Illustration

Douglas County’s health department recommends schools continue to use hybrid or fully in-person learning models as key indicators related to the spread of the coronavirus continue to decline.

Lawrence Douglas County Public Health announced Thursday its recommendation to schools would remain in the yellow tier, which calls for schools to use hybrid or fully in-person classes. The color-coded guidance is meant to help county school districts navigate reopening schools and conducting activities as the pandemic continues during the school year.

Sonia Jordan, the health department’s director of informatics, said in the announcement the department’s recommendation would remain unchanged because 14-day average positivity rate for the virus and the total number of cases have both fallen in the last week.

According to the health department’s data, the number of active cases has fallen by 300 cases, for a total of 763. Additionally, the average number of new cases dropped from 49 cases last week to 32 cases this week, while the average positivity rate dropped from 3.8% last week to 2.2% this week.

Locally the positivity rates have improved as well, as Lawrence’s rate fell to 1.9%, Lecompton’s rate fell to 2.8% and Eudora’s rate fell to 6.7%. Baldwin City was the only community to see an increase, rising to 5.2%.

photo by: Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health

Douglas County’s 14-day average positivity rate for Jan. 28, 2021.

photo by: Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health

Douglas County’s 14-day average number of new cases for Jan. 28, 2021.

Using its own gating criteria, the improving virus data does not appear it would make much a change for the Lawrence school district. However, as of 5:30 p.m. Thursday, the district had not updated its information.

The district’s system collects data for five criteria related to the spread of the virus in the community and school district. That data is then put into a weighted system — giving some criteria more importance than others — to come up with an average rating, which then provides a learning method recommendation.

Based on data available, the district’s system appears it would have provided a 1.9 average score on Thursday, which is the same score it produced last week, keeping the district’s guidance in its yellow tier. The yellow tier calls for sixth grade and up to use hybrid, while pre-K to fifth grade uses hybrid or fully in-person learning. Last week, the district said it would continue using its hybrid model through Feb. 5.

The Lawrence guidance can be found on its website, usd497.org.

The health department’s school guidance can be found on its website, ldchealth.org/457/Smart-and-Safe-School-Reopening. Both are updated on Thursdays.