CLINTON — Clinton Junior High School went to remote learning this week after an increase in COVID cases made conditions there unmanageable.

CJHS principal Jim Peck announced last week to parents and students that the school would move to remote learning for the week Dec. 13-17.

“We reached a number of positive cases for students and staff in our building that was higher than what we were able to handle,” Peck said. 

            “We were concerned with further spread as we were seeing some connections between cases. We wanted to make the best decision for the health and safety of all students and staff.”

Clinton schools will begin Christmas break the week of Dec. 20, and students are scheduled to return to class on Jan. 4.

The U.S. has experienced a significant increase in COVID, Delta variant virus cases over the past month, primarily among unvaccinated people.  Omicron variant cases are now being seen as well.

From Nov. 29 through Dec. 5, the DeWitt/Piatt Bi-County Health Department reported 45 new active COVID cases in Clinton with 96 active cases total countywide.  Piatt County reported 97 active cases.

“There has been growing concern regarding the Delta and now the Omicron strain of the COVID-19 virus,” health department director David Remmert reported.   “We do not have adequate data at this time to determine if any of the active cases are from these strains.”

He said the first Omicron case was detected in Illinois on Dec. 7.

DeWitt and Piatt counties are on the Illinois COVID-19 warning list.

The health department continues to offer COVID vaccinations through their offices, including vaccinations for children ages 5-11, and they also are scheduling appointments for 3^rd dose booster shots.

DeWitt county has had 35 deaths from COVID, so far, with Piatt County reporting 14 deaths.  Neary 800,000 Americans have died from COVID, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).