While students and staff in the Irvine Unified School District have returned to in-person education, IUSD has enlisted the help of a new COVID-19 dashboard to track confirmed COVID-19 cases throughout the district.

In a Tweet on Oct. 2, IUSD announced the launch of the COVID-19 Dashboard, which is being used in tandem with other health and safety protocols, according to Irvine Unified’s Public Information Officer, Annie Brown.

ISUD’s Tweet contained the following statement:

“IUSD is committed to providing accurate & transparent information regarding COVID-19 cases on our campuses, while also maintaining privacy & confidentiality for our students & staff. IUSD launched a COVID-19 dashboard. Visit iusd.org/dashboard for more information.”

The dashboard contains a spreadsheet-style list that is updated regularly. It lists the name of each school within IUSD, along with the total number of students and staff. The list also includes non-education specific district facilities.

As of Oct. 14, there were 12 current confirmed cases – eight students and four staff members – within the Irvine Unified School District, according to the district’s COVID-19 dashboard.

The dozen positive cases represents 0.0152 percent of the total number students and staff combined. There are currently 24,985 individuals participating within IUSD’s in-person academic model.

University High School reported one case, but it was listed as an employee from the Orange County Department of Education. Cadence Park K-8 also reported one staff member tested positive.

The district’s other two cases came from “other district facilities” that do not list a number of students or staff.

In terms of confirmed student cases, Cypress Village Elementary, Greentree Elementary, Jeffrey Trail Middle School, Northwood High School, Portola High School, South Lake Middle School, Woodbridge High School and Woodbury Elementary have each reported one positive case of COVID-19.

While COVID-19 dashboard data only represents those engaged in within the district’s hybrid education, the district is monitoring nearly 25,000 individuals for COVID-19.

In an email to Irvine Weekly, Annie Brown, Irvine Public Information for ISUD, explained that while a negative COVID-19 test was not required criteria for returning to on-campus education, the district is providing free testing for teachers, and has allocated more than $20 million for facility upgrade projects, PPE (including masks and face shields), sanitizing equipment and desk safety shields.

“The district has allocated $4 million for free staff testing,” Brown explained. “This is separate from the Cares funds and is allocated from district funds. In total, IUSD has allocated more than $21 million for health and safety investments.”

In addition to face masks and social distancing, the district has also upgraded HVAC systems and added enhanced sanitization protocols. However, IUSD staff is encouraged to test every two months.

“IUSD staff are encouraged to utilize the district’s free testing, which may be taken every two months or when there is a known exposure,” Brown said. “Additionally, staff should be tested in accordance CDC, CDPH and OCHCA guidelines. This includes those who have symptoms of COVID-19. People who have had close contact (less than 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with someone confirmed to have COVID. People who have been asked or referred to get tested by their health care provider or local health department.”

On Oct. 15, the Orange County Health Care Agency reported 153 new cases of COVID-19. With O.C.’s newly confirmed cases, the county also reported more than 30 deaths on Thursday.

In a press conference on Thursday, Oct. 15, Orange County Health Officer Dr. Clayton Chau explained that while the county did add more than two dozen deaths, which  increased the county’s cumulative total to 1,391, all deaths reported happened over a period of months.

“I want to remind people that the number does not mean we had 31 people pass away yesterday,” Chau explained.
“In looking at the 31 cases, we have reported cases dating back to June — so there’s cases scattered throughout the month of June, July, August, September and October.”

Orange County has now recorded 56,436 COVID-19 cases. While Orange County remains in the state’s Red Tier for COVID-19 monitoring, Chau said that the county has shown progress in positivity rate, but will need to improve in terms of case rate for two consecutive weeks in order to move into the less restrictive Orange Tier.  

“Our testing positivity rate has consistently been in range for the Orange [tier] for more than a month now, however the case rate metrics have been in the Red (tier) range for more than two weeks — which keeps us in the Red Tier as a whole.”

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