Over 17% of Aiken County’s student population in quarantine

AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - There are some startling COVID statistics from Aiken County schools as the district reports 17.31% of their student population is being quarantined.

According to the school district’s latest report, 298 students and 43 employees have tested positive for COVID-19. That’s led to 4,039 students and 91 employees being quarantined.

At the school district’s latest meeting last week, Superintendent King Laurence pleaded with students, parents and school employees to “do what you can” to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

He emphasized that the school district can’t impose a mask mandate because the South Carolina Legislature added a proviso to the state budget barring districts from requiring masks. Laurence strongly encouraged wearing masks, getting vaccinated and avoiding large gatherings.

Here’s the Aiken County district’s latest report, with statistics broken down by schools:

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