COVID SCHOOL OUTBREAKS: Will Palm Beach County Create Dashboard Like Hillsborough?

One Palm Beach County Administrator Claimed HIPAA Prevents Reporting. That’s Verifiably Wrong.

Call On School District To Report Like Hillsborough County.

BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) — At least 182 students and teachers/staffers in the Hillsborough County School District have tested positive for COVID-19. The school district, which includes schools in Tampa and is similarly sized to Palm Beach County, is leading the way with an almost up-to-the-minute reporting of student and staffer COVID cases. The results so far: 138 teachers or staff member have tested positive. The student positive number is 44.

While infections are universally considered to not be a good thing, Hillsborough is showing the right way to report. By providing information that is honest and verifiable, people are not panicking. It’s a different approach in Palm Beach County where school administrators — by their own admission — have no workable plan for kids who are returning to school on September 21st. There are certainly plans in writing, but the plans are non-specific when it comes to social distancing, lunch, school bus or what happens when children or staff members test positive for COVID-19. In other words, the basics.

There are certainly plans in writing, but the plans are non-specific when it comes to social distancing, lunch, school bus or what happens when children or staff members test positive for COVID-19. In other words, the basics.

Palm Beach County Deputy Superintendent Keith Oswald stated at a recent school board meeting that he believed schools could not release infection information due to HiPAA. That is verifiably incorrect. HiPAA does not apply to non-medical professionals or healthcare providers.

At least one Palm Beach County school board member called on the district to create a dashboard like Hillsborough County’s. No word yet if it is under construction. We encourage students, teachers and school personnel to report rumors and concerns of infection or social distancing to BocaNewsNow.com. Use our COVID-19 school reporting center.

Is Palm Beach County School District Reporting COVID-19 Infections?

Not at this time, but school does not start for in-person learning until September 21st. There is a push for the Palm Beach County School District to ensure transparency by creating a dashboard similar to Florida’s Hillsborough County. There is no indication, yet, that it is under construction.