The Fishers Health Department lowered the COVID-19 community risk rating from Significant to Moderate, and is recommending that local schools move to in-person classes.

“The Department recommends Fishers-based schools to reinstate or continue full in-person learning for elementary grades,” according to a health department news release. “Middle and high school grades may reinstate or continue full in-person learning if able to maintain cohorting. If unable to institute cohorting, the practice of keeping the same students together throughout the school day, the department advises a hybrid school model in order to decrease spread within schools and to minimize the number of quarantining students and staff that are expected to accompany school reopening. Additionally, schools should allow students with compelling needs to attend full-time in-person learning.”

Cohorting means forming groups of students, and sometimes teachers or staff, that stay together throughout the school day to minimize exposure for students, teachers, and staff across the school environment.

The department says the risk rating improvement is due to both case incidence and percent positivity rates in Fishers.

Health department officials continue to recommend that healthy people not at high risk for COVID-19 limit large gatherings of more than 30 people and continue frequent hand-washing.  If high-risk, it is recommended you avoid gatherings of more than 8 people outside your home.

The Hamilton Southeastern School Board is scheduled to meet Thursday at 6pm to consider next steps in virtual vs. in-person classes.

Below are factors the Fishers Health Department says were part of the decision to lower the local risk level: