Although there is a trend of increasing cases of COVID-19 in public schools in In New York City, for now, there is no change in protocols in sight, when the policy of wearing masks from kindergartens to high schools has only just been eliminated.
The city’s New York City Department of Education (DOE) reported 1,422 infections in the seven-day period ending 22 in March, more than double the cases reported in the seven-day period a month ago, at time that marks the fourth consecutive weekly increase, according to statistics.
However, organizations such as Parents for Safe Schools (Press NYC) have shown their alarm, because in general the rates of cases among students have exceeded those of the general population: 17,3 by 100,000 vs. 9.6 citywide, during data analysis last week .
A new flight takes flight variant
The other element that the City follows is the prevalence of a new variant of COVID-22, called BA2, which is also increasing, derived from recent data.
Now, this new version of the coronavirus represents 42% of all cases of infection in the state.
“We have seen a reduction of more than 97% in COVID cases since the peak of the omicron increase this year. Students have been able to continue to attend classrooms and receive all the support they need,” DOE spokeswoman Jenna Lyle told local media.
“We will continue to follow the science and make adjustments if necessary , putting the health and safety of our students and staff first,” Lyle reinforced.
To date, anyone in a classroom with a positive case is considered a close contact . In this case, students are sent home with rapid COVID-19 tests and are instructed take two tests within five days.
Children who do not show symptoms , they can continue to attend school, regardless of their vaccination status.
Mayor Eric Adams who lifted the face covering mandate for students in kindergarten through grade 12, also plans to eliminate this policy for students in 3K and pre-K beginning on April 4. Only if COVID rates remain low.
“And if we see risk levels rising, either before or after the mandate is lifted, we may have another conversation“, New York City Department of Health (DOHMH) Commissioner Ashwin Vasan said.
Between alarm and caution
But in the midst of this upward trend in infections, some sectors continue to see between “alarm and caution” the relaxation of pandemic prevention policies.
Such is the case of Jesse Hackell, head of the state chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics that covers Manhattan and the Bronx, who expressed to the Chalkbeat publication that it is too early to draw “too many conclusions from a week of data”.
Although he warned that if schools maintain cases at the current level in the coming days, expect “the mayor to reconsider his decision on masks.”
Currently the Big Apple is at a low risk level, but Manhattan is approaching medium risk, due to a recent localized increase in positive tests.
Neighborhoods on the Upper West Side, TriBeca, and Battery Park City are seeing an uptick in the entire landscape of new infections. This county represents 70% of the 10 main localities with more positive cases detected.
No vaccine, no prom
Although the City is announcing changes in policy for a “return to normality”, until this Thursday it had not been confirmed if the mandate that specifies that only vaccinated high school students can participate in graduation dances would be lifted.
In In the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, proms have returned for high school students. graduating seniors, who are scheduled between April and June. Currently only those students who are fully vaccinated can participate, the DOE confirmed.
Attendance and vaccinations in the school population:
- 70% was the school attendance rate at end of February, but increased to 87% at the end of March.
- 57% of children aged 5 to 10 years had received two doses of the COVID-1 vaccine 19 until last week, which is an index called “low” for the Health authorities.
- 22% only of the age group of 13 at 17 years has received booster doses.
- 78% of the city’s population has rec received two doses of the vaccine, but a few 42% have received an additional dose.