Students and parents held a handful of protests in September in opposition to a mask mandate at Warsaw Community Schools. InkFreeNews file photo.

By Dan Spalding
InkFreeNews

WARSAW – For many, 2021 was supposed to be the year the country began to climb out of the pandemic.

Instead, the pandemic turned out to be more deadly in Kosciusko County in 2021.

A year ago, the national shutdown was over, businesses were trying to reopen and schools were still dealing with remote learning.

But a variant called Delta turned into a huge setback that caused more deaths, more concerns and more frustrations throughout 2021.

By the end of 2020, health officials attributed the deaths of 70 Kosciusko County residents to COVID-19. In 2021, another 110 residents joined the list.

Dislike and resentment among some over the shutdown and mask mandates continued into 2021 as much of the local commentary questioned numerous government policies in response to the virus.

That was the case when Warsaw area parents rose up and spoke out in September after Warsaw Community Schools reinstated a mask mandate.

Parents and students spoke out against the move and held a handful of protests. They claimed the policy change was motivated by additional revenue sources for the school, which was not true.

The school has since announced a return to a mask-optional police beginning when students return from winter break on Jan. 10.

Many of those same opponents of masks then focused their ire on county health officer Dr. William Remington who had urged schools to follow step with Warsaw Schools. That then led to a petition drive opposing Remington’s reappointment as health officer, fueled in part by a hot mic minute in which Remington was heard discussing future options on mask policies.

After several delays, the county commissioners voted 2-1 to retain Remington, who has had the role for more than a quarter-century.

In the past year, city and county officials transitioned their mantras from urging people to mask up and social distance to one stressing the need for vaccinations.

But even after numerous clinics and promotions, the percent of people vaccinated in Kosciusko County still hovers around 39%. Indiana’s rate is at 51.7%. The national rate is at 61.6%.

The new year arrives with the emergence of another variant, Omicron, which is expected to add additional stress on hospitals throughout much of the state in the next coming weeks.