As the state has seen a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases, schools have been seeing similar trends. Some schools in Livingston County have seen surges in cases, but school leaders believe the likelihood of in-school transmission is still low. "We haven't seen transmission in schools," Pinckney Superintendent Rick Todd said. "It could happen, but we're not seeing that as a root cause. What we're seeing are interactions without protocols where you're seeing that mass spread." The Detroit Free Press reported on March 17 that the largest portion of new COVID-19 cases in Michigan was school-age children. Natasha Radke, public information officer for the Livingston County Health Department, confirmed the county has seen an uptick in cases among children. She said there have been club- and sports-related cases, including the B.1.1.7 variant, which is more contagious and could be causing the increase in school outbreaks.