Senator Roy Blunt stops in Cape to talk about COVID cases and education

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (WSIL) -- Missouri's Republican Senator Roy Blunt made a stop Tuesday afternoon in Cape Girardeau. He discussed COVID-19's impact on education.

He spoke in a roundtable-style discussion about the successful partnership between the state, county, and local health departments and school systems.

U.S. Senator Roy Blunt participated in the roundtable to discuss the successful partnership between the Missouri State Health Department and Cape Public School District.

Senator Blunt touched on what he believes has helped many of their schools remain open during the pandemic.

"The schools decided they could be in schools full-time. Gave people the option who didn't want to be here, to be in school virtually, if that's what they wanted," said Senator Blunt.

The Superintendent of the Cape Girardeau Public Schools, Dr. Neil Glass, also attended the event and said their partnership with the state, county, and local health departments played a strong role in them tracing and containing the number of COVID-19 cases.

"They were just really instrumental in us combating that, so I'm happy to say currently our numbers are extremely low. We've had several days now that we've had zero cases, zero quarantines and I'm very thankful and I owe a lot of that to our county health department," said Dr. Glass.

Senator Blunt also spoke about the importance of in-person learning.

"Kids frankly do better in schools with teachers and in person and I'm glad that so many of our districts really worked hard to make that happen and one of the leaders in that was one of them right here in Cape Girardeau," said Sen. Blunt, R-Missouri.

Dr. Glass agreed with the Senator, "kids need to be in school for a variety of different reasons but most prominent is for academics, but that social and emotional support teachers provide, that other students and peers provide is so important to student's health. Mental health and their maturity."

Senator Blunt ended the discussion, speaking on the importance of people getting vaccinated to protect themselves and their loved ones.