KNOXVILLE, Tennessee — The spread of the coronavirus is rising in Knox County Schools
"We're seeing numbers increase in our schools," said KCS Superintendent Bob Thomas
As COVID-19 cases surge across East Tennessee, the same trend is happening in our schools.
"There's a lot of concern from principals about absences," Thomas said.
As attendance numbers shrink, those in quarantine are increasing -- pushing educators to their limit.
"With teacher absences and filling vacancies, there is a lot of concern about staff having to cover multiple classes," Thomas said.
Just three days into the final month of the year, Knox County Schools hope to change the trend that has sidelined hundreds from the classroom.
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"The month of November has been pretty active in terms of schools that have gone red because of quarantine and positive cases," Thomas said.
Some relief might soon be on the way with new CDC guidelines for quarantines, though. The agency now says people should quarantine for 10 days -- instead of 14 -- after exposure if those people don't develop symptoms for 7 days or if they test negative.
Dr. Martha Buchanan, director of the Knox County Health Department, said she hopes this helps.
"We will be implanting that which is I think it'll be helpful for lots of folks certainly a lot easier to quarantine for shorter time than 2 weeks" said Dr. Buchanan.
Schools hope these guidelines will help get students and teachers who aren't sick with COVID-19 back in the classroom sooner.
"We know the safest place for students is in school, so we're trying our best to maintain that," Thomas said.