SHELBY COUNTY, Tennessee — In Wednesday's Ransom Note: mixed signals.
Kudos to the education website Chalkbeat tonight with the story that Shelby County won't issue stay at home orders for schools until there's a positivity rate of 25%. If that seems high, it is.
New York schools will close if the positivity rate goes above 3%. Indianapolis will limit in-person learning if positivity goes above 5% and will close all school buildings at 13%. Colorado school districts are looking at a 5% guideline. We haven't been at 5% since may. In fact, we're at 15% now.
The Shelby County Health Department tells Chalkbeat the 25% threshold was the consensus of local infectious disease experts and other leaders.
But what doesn't make sense to me is why, before we'll close our schools, we will restrict sporting events, we will close bars and some restaurants, and we will institute a curfew.