WACO, Texas — The Local Health Authority for the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District issued a direct order Tuesday that all in-person classes will be delayed for all public and private schools.
The order impacts every public school district in the county in grades pre-K through 12 and pushes back all school-sponsored events, including sports.
The county health district issued a revision to the order July 24, exempting religious schools from the mandatory delay. The revision was made so that the order would be in accordance with Gov. Greg Abbott's executive order.
With the revision, religious schools may start in-person classes before Sept. 7. Public and non-religious private schools must comply with the order, according to the health authority's update.
Local Health Authority for the health district, Dr. Farley Verner, said the order is not a closure of schools.
“I believe these control measures are necessary to protect the public health based on the higher risk for spread of COVID-19 in schools due to the necessity of large groups gathering and the difficulty for some children to follow social distancing and hygiene guidelines," Verner said. "In conjunction with other measures already in place, the control measures contained in this order will further restrict and prevent the spread of COVID-19 throughout the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District.”
As of Tuesday, the health district reported 1,564 active cases of COVID-19. The number of people who died was 25. The positivity rate 7-day average was 20%.
The order does allow for online instruction. Administrators, teachers and staff are allowed to be on campus for the online classes as long as social distancing measures are in place, according to the order.
The order comes just hours after the University Interscholastic League announced the fall sports schedule, which allowed for schools in the 1A-4A conferences to resume practices Aug. 3 and games on Aug. 27. Kelly Craine, with the health district, said Verner's order supersedes the UIL schedule.
Each school system must develop and submit a written plan on resuming in-person classes and activities to the health authority by Aug. 21.
6 News asked asked Kelly Craine with the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District, if the health authority was worried about the decision coming so close to back to school.
"The greatest worry is looking at COVID spread and what we can do to protect our entire community, you know, this does affect our schools and that is a serious issue, but we're thinking of the entire community how this effects all of our health," Craine said.
Lorena Independent School District Superintendent Joe Kucera said the district was "still digesting this order."
"This will impact our timeline for releasing our full plan for return to instruction, and we will not be able to send it this Thursday as originally planned," Verner said. "We still hope to get that to you as soon as possible, and we will provide you with a revised timeline on Thursday afternoon."
The City of Waco also announced Dr. Brenda Gray was terminated as the health district director. Public Information Officer Larry Holze did not provide a reason.
At a weekly McLennan County update on the response to the virus, health officials indicated that opening schools would result in a jump in virus cases.
Dr. Farley Verner, with the county health department said that the number of children with the virus could be higher than is reported because children are more likely to be asymptomatic.
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