When it comes to our schools, there have been hundreds of COVID cases reported among students and teachers.
But, even so, the latest data from the state's Department of Health shows no major outbreaks within those classrooms.
10 Investigates looked at the latest data from the Florida Department of Health.
The school with the most cases in the Tampa Bay area is Plant High School, which has reported 94 cases since September 2020. Of those 94 cases, 87 of them were students.
A handful of other high schools in the Bay Area have had dozens of cases as well.
"The schools don’t seem to be a major source of infection so we are probably ok to leave them open," Dr. Jill Roberts of USF Public Health to 10 Investigates' Jennifer Titus.
"I think it’s very important, as we have seen stories over the last couple of days kids are not doing well academically. Online they are really suffering. So, to have them in the classroom is important, but there’s a flipside of this. While the kid is safe, the older individuals are not. So, if we have more kids coming to classrooms, and thinking about higher capacities, we're going to have to really take seriously vaccinating teachers and others working in the schools."
Dr. Roberts says measures taken by the schools like wearing masks and additional sanitation efforts seem to be working.
You can find the latest data from the Florida Department of Health, here.
