19 Missouri High School Students Test Positive for COVID-19 After Graduation, Prom

This outbreak comes after Missouri Gov. Mike Parson was criticized for saying students who contract coronavirus will have to "get over it."

July 21, 2020

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As coronavirus cases in the country continue to rise, new anecdotes come out everyday exposing the dangers of large gatherings and the importance of wearing masks. In Missouri, 19 high school students have tested positive for COVID-19 after attending an outdoor graduation and prom.

According to NBC, St. Dominic High School revealed that 19 students and two guests who attended the events in early July tested positive for the virus. "In response to this outbreak, the school released a statement announcing its decision to halt all student activities until August 9," the school said in a statement. “We are doing so to allow families to take the necessary precautions to help ensure a successful start of the academic school year on August 10, with classes beginning on August 17."

Many teachers and students across the country are advocating for remote learning or extra funding to protect students and staff from spreading the virus this coming school year. Meanwhile, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson recently came under fire for comments he made about reopening schools.

"These kids have got to get back to school," Parson said in an interview on KFTK’s The Marc Cox Show. "They're at the lowest risk possible. And if they do get COVID-19, which they will — and they will when they go to school — they're not going to the hospitals. They're not going to have to sit in doctor's offices. They're going to go home and they're going to get over it."

"We gotta move on," he continued. "We can't just let this thing stop us in our tracks."

People quickly criticized Parson’s callous and heartless comments, pointing out his willingness to put students, teachers, and family members at risk.