Two Georgian educators die of Covid on the same day

Two Cobb County educators died the same day from Covid-19, prompting demands for the suburban Atlanta school district to switch to distance learning only.

Dana Johnson, a teacher at Kemp Elementary School, was hospitalized with the illness on December 6, according to a GoFundMe set up to raise funds for her family. The married mother of three was later diagnosed with double pneumonia and transferred to the intensive care unit.

She died Thursday after battling the virus for more than a month.

A Cobb District spokesperson confirmed the death in a statement Friday.

“Our hearts go out to the Johnson family and the entire Kemp community. Ms. Johnson was a valuable part of our university community. The outpouring of support for her family during this difficult time shows how much she was loved and had a positive impact on those around her. “Said the spokesperson.

News of Johnson’s death came the same day as that of another district educator. Sedalia Park Elementary School paraprofessional Cynthia Lindsey died Thursday after spending more than a week in hospital on a ventilator, according to NBC affiliate WXIA-TV in Atlanta.

The district statement did not confirm Lindsey’s death.

“Every member of our school community has been touched by the ongoing battle against Covid-19,” the spokesperson said. “We continue to ask our staff, students and families to follow public health advice – wear masks and maintain social distancing – so that we can stay as healthy as possible.

More than 100 teachers, students and community members gathered outside a Cobb school board meeting on Thursday to push for distance learning following the deaths, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported .

The crowd held signs that read “No more teacher deaths.” People chanted, “One team, one goal. Save our lives.” During the meeting, a dozen people spoke out in favor of closing classrooms during the pandemic, according to the newspaper.

The district had already canceled all in-person classes this week due to a high number of students and staff who have been asked to quarantine. Face-to-face learning is expected to resume on Monday with an option for students to continue with distance learning.

“This break will give our families and staff the opportunity to self-quarantine and work together to fight Covid-19 from our homes by limiting large gatherings, strengthening social distancing, wearing a mask when the social distancing is not possible and by washing our hands regularly ”. the district said in a statement last Friday.

Cobb County is one of Georgia’s five counties with the highest number of coronavirus cases, according to the State Department of Public Health. Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 47,106 confirmed cases and 638 deaths.