Beech Tree News Network

With a recent increase in COVID-19 cases, Butler County is now in the “RED” zone according to metrics used by state officials to measure the spread of the virus. Butler County, according to the Barren River District Health Department, has had 440 cases since the pandemic began, with 16 deaths, and 356 recovered.  The county’s current incidence rate is listed as 35.5  percent, which is determined average daily cases per 100, 000 population based on the previous seven days. Currently, the county has 68 active cases of COVID-19. The population of Butler County is estimated at just under 13,000.

On Wednesday, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said community leaders, schools, businesses and families listed in red zone counties each Thursday on kycovid19.ky.gov should follow new recommendations the following Monday through Sunday to stop the spread of COVID-19 in their communities. 

Those recommendations include working from home when possible, reducing in-person shopping, order take-out, avoid any non-essential activities outside your home, not hosting or attending gatherings of any size, rescheduling, postponing, or cancelling public events, non-critical government offices should operate virtually, and prioritizing businesses that follow and enforce mask mandate and other guidelines.  

Governor Beshear reported the following information for Thursday, October 29: 

New cases today: 1,821

New deaths today: 19

Positivity rate: 6.04%

Total deaths: 1,461

Currently hospitalized: 969

Currently in ICU: 234

Currently on ventilator: 120

Kentucky Education Commissioner Jason E. Glass released the following statement on Thursday. 

“Schools across Kentucky have been doing a tremendous job keeping the learning going for our students and we have not seen (so far) COVID-19 transmissions linked directly to schools – an indication that our virus mitigation efforts within schools are working. Disappointingly, the same cannot be said for many communities and the rest of the state.

“When a community goes into the ‘red’ it should lead to a discussion with the district leadership, the school board and local public health on what the best course forward should be, which may include temporarily closing the school to in-person learning. More importantly, it should lead to a discussion in the community about what actions the public should take to help protect their schools by keeping community transmissions low.

“The Kentucky Department of Education is asking all of our community members across the Commonwealth to do their part by observing safe health practices, including and especially wearing masks in public. It is going to take all of us working together to support our schools by keeping the community transmissions under control as we work to fight this pandemic.”

According to Butler County Schools Superintendent Robert Tuck, Butler County Schools currently has “five active positive cases in our district.  We have two students who have tested positive and three staff members who have tested positive.” He continues, “we currently have (a total of ) 28 students and staff members who are quarantined due to close contact exposure to an individual who tested positive for COVID-19.  Of those 28 individuals, 16 have been asked by the Barren River District Health Department to quarantine due to exposure at home or outside of the school district.  Within our district, we have 12 close contact traced individuals who have been asked to quarantine.  All 12 of these individuals are from Morgantown Elementary School.” 

 “Two staff members in the cafeteria have tested positive.  We have asked the remaining cafeteria staff to quarantine out of an abundance of caution.  While this decision was not easy to make, we felt that it was prudent to take this step in order to ensure that the Butler County School District is doing everything they can to mitigate the spread of this virus….The cafeteria staff from Butler County High School along with staff from the Board of Education will be making school meals and delivering them to MES to ensure the students there receive a high quality nutritious meal daily.” 

In a phone conference with other Kentucky School Superintendents, the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Education Commissioner, Tuck says “It was stressed in the call that school districts were taking all the necessary steps to keep kids and staff safe and cases were not coming from schools.  The Governor said he will be trying to work with local officials, discussing mitigation efforts and urging them to support these efforts.” 

Regarding the possible closure of schools due to our status as a red county “in determining the week of November 2nd through the 6th session of Butler County Schools, our County Data is Red with 68 current active cases. The School data is Green with 5 current active cases. The regional positivity rate is 9.5.  Butler County Schools will be Yellow (which is what is currently in place in Butler County Schools) for the week of November 2nd through the 6th.” 

Tuck concludes, “the Butler County School District is committed to doing whatever it takes to provide our students a quality education in a safe and productive environment.  We will continue to utilize CDC approved cleaning and sanitizing practices as well as to consult with the Barren River District Health Department regarding positive tests and contact tracing.  Butler County Schools is leading the way during these trying times focused on Building, Collaborating, and Shaping a better community....”