By Isabel Song Beer
COVID-19 testing will be
doubled in New York City
schools once classes resume
next week, Mayor Bill de Blasio
announced Tuesday morning.
During a press conference
with Mayor-elect Eric Adams
and Governor Kathy Hochul,
de Blasio said that he and Adams
are introducing and collaborating
on several new
mandates to ensure that students
in New York City will all
be able to safely return to inperson
instruction despite the
growing threat of the Omicron
variant of COVID-19.
The new initiative, called
“Stay Safe and Stay Open,”
aims to protect students
throughout all boroughs by
doubling the amount of testing
in schools — including vaccinated
children. At-home testing
will also be made readily
available to students.
“Schools right now are the
safest places in the city,” said
de Blasio. “Ninety-six percent
of Department of Education
employees are vaccinated and
we are moving every date to
make sure schools stay open.”
Public health researcher
and guest speaker, Dr. Devi
Sridhar, spoke from Scotland
on the importance of returning
to fully in-person learning.
Sridhar asserted that not
only are schools safe, but an
integral part of development
and growth. Speaking on the
communicability of the virus,
Sridhar stated that “nearly
everyone” could be exposed
to the virus and that the best
way to protect oneself from infection
was continued vaccination.
Further asserting the
safety of in-person learning,
city Health Commissioner Dr.
Dave Chokshi spoke to the
drastic contrast of infection in
school to at-home life, going so
far as to say that schools are
actually “health promoting”
for students.
“Right now, only about
0.83% of vaccinated students
in New York City schools are
testing positive for COVID
after a close contact interaction,”
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, DEC.2 31, 2021-JAN. 6, 2022 BTR
said Chokshi. “Meanwhile,
the out-of-school close
contact spreading in the city is
nearly 14%.”
Father and clinical social
worker Fabian Wander spoke
about how he had noticed a
difference in learning quality
and emotional well-being of
his own children who attend
P.S. 304 in the Bronx.
“This difference is so noticeable
that I could tell right
away that my boys are doing
much better,” Wander said.
Following the press conference,
President of the United
Federation of Teachers Michael
Mulgrew issued a statement
addressing the concerns
teachers had with returning
back to school on Jan 3.
“Teachers are prepared to
do their jobs,” said Mulgrew.
“The real issue is whether the
city can do its job – ensuring
that new testing initiatives are
available in every school. We
are moving closer to a safe reopening
of school next week.
But we are not there yet.”
New York City is doubling the number of COVID-19 tests in public schools
beginning on Jan. 3, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Dec. 28, 2021.
REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo
NYC schools to double
COVID-19 testing amid surge