Almost all of the buildings remained open, although six were closed briefly, in accordance with metropolis tips that solely these faculties that report not less than two instances in several lecture rooms shall be shut.
The instances occurred between Sept. 8, when lecturers and employees members reported to varsities, and Monday, when the primary college students entered lecture rooms.
In dozens of instances, the contaminated people obtained the optimistic check outcomes and didn’t report back to work, the division stated. Others did report to highschool, and their shut contacts within the buildings had been informed to quarantine for 2 weeks.
Avery Cohen, a spokeswoman for Mayor Invoice de Blasio, stated that the instances included a “handful” of scholars, however that “the overwhelming majority had been amongst employees earlier than faculties reopened for college kids.”
Some public well being specialists stated the statistics replicate a brand new actuality.
With in-person studying going down in a system with 1.1 million schoolchildren, 75,000 lecturers, and a pair of,500 college buildings and early childhood facilities, new instances will almost certainly be a each day incidence, they stated. Particular person constructing closings may also be frequent, they stated.
Dr. Michael Mina, an assistant professor of epidemiology on the Harvard T.H. Chan College of Public Well being, stated New York Metropolis households needs to be ready for a continuing recreation of Whac-a-Mole. The virus is more likely to re-emerge repeatedly in class buildings till there may be both a vaccine or very frequent testing, he stated.
Ideally, Dr. Mina stated, 50 % of all college students and employees members needs to be examined thrice every week.
