The state Department of Health has created a COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring System Dashboard, which shows the incidence rate of positive COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people on a weekly basis.

In Monroe County, the incidence rate for the seven-day period from July 31 through Aug. 6 was 22.4 people per 100,000. The state average for that same time period was 39.2.

Of the 67 counties in Pennsylvania, 30 had incidence rates lower than Monroe County and 36 were higher. Pike County was 3.6; Carbon County, 18.7; Schuylkill, 21.8; Northampton County, 27.9; and Lehigh County, 28.3.

The state Department of Education uses the incidence rate and percent positivity – two standard public health metrics – to help school districts determine what type of model of education to adopt.

The level of community transmission in the county is considered low if the incidence rate is less than 10 people per 100,000 and the percent positivity is less than 5%. Both of those criteria have to be met.

When the level is low, the DOE recommends either full in-person classes or blended learning (hybrid) model.

The percent positivity for Monroe County is currently 3.1%, but the 22.4 incidence rate means full in-person classes would be discouraged.

The percent positivity for Pike County is 0.8%; Carbon County, 2.7%; Northampton, 2.9%; Schuylkill, 3%; and Lehigh, 3.1%. Only Pike falls into the category that would allow full in-person classes.