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Kern's TK through 6th grade schools can reopen for in-person instruction

Posted at 10:17 AM, Feb 23, 2021
and last updated 2021-02-23 13:58:51-05

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Kern County Public Health Director Brynn Carrigan announced Tuesday that Transitional Kindergarten through 6th grade schools can reopen for in-person instruction.

During the Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday morning, Carrigan said Kern County's adjusted case rate was 18.5 per 100,000 residents. The state's requirement for TK through 6th grade schools to reopen is 25 per 100,000 residents.

Carrigan said those TK through 6th grade schools that did not reopen the last time Kern County was in the red tier could reopen for in-person instruction now.

High schools and junior high schools that did not reopen the last time Kern was in the red tier will still have to wait until Kern County is fully in the red tier to reopen.

Carrigan also announced that as of Tuesday, Kern's testing rate is 286 per 100,000 residents with an unadjusted case rate of 16.8. Our testing positivity rate is 8%, which meets the criteria to enter the red tier. Carrigan said our lowest quartile testing positivity rate is 10.9% and the state requires it to be 8% in order to move into the red tier.