24 THE QUEENS COURIER • HEALTH • DECEMBER 17, 2020 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
health
Nine elementary schools in Queens close due to COVID-19 cases
Queens pols want state to cover costs of COVID-19 testing in all schools
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Requiring COVID-19 testing in schools
is an important element in containing the
pandemic and keeping schools open and
safe. But unlike their public counterparts,
nonpublic schools are being forced to
cover the expense of testing without reimbursement
from the state.
Two Queens lawmakers contend that
this unfunded mandate from the state
puts an undue and unjust burden on
many schools.
“Testing is a crucial component of keeping
our schools open and keeping our students,
teachers and faculty safe during the
pandemic,” Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi
said, “New York state did the right thing
by making these tests mandatory. It must
do the right thing again by not imposing
an unfunded mandate on our religious,
private and nonpublic schools.”
Hevesi and state Senator Joseph
Addabbo introduced legislation that
would provide fi nancial relief, ensure that
all schools are treated equally and guarantee
that necessary testing guidelines are
followed.
“Th e numbers have shown that schools
are actually some of the safest spots during
the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is
vital for New York state to provide funding
for our private, religious and nonpublic
schools to continue their testing practices,”
said Addabbo, who is also a member
of the Senate Education Committee.
“I am proud to sponsor this piece of legislation
in the Senate to ensure that our
nonpublic schools are fairly compensated,
just like our public schools, for their
eff orts in helping to keep the students,
teachers and faculty safe during these trying
times.”
he Archdiocese of New York sued
the city’s Department of Education last
month for failing to provide free COVID-
19 testing for its students. While the court
ruled in the Archdiocese’s favor, the city is
appealing the decision.
“I’m grateful to Senator Addabbo
and Assembly member Hevesi for putting
children fi rst,” Archbishop of New
York Cardinal Timothy Dolan said. “New
York has a solemn obligation to protect
the health and safety of all students and
teachers, no matter what the school. Our
Catholic schools have been enthusiastic
partners with the state since this pandemic
began. All we ask is for is fair treatment
for our kids, and that’s what this legislation
ensures.”
Th e legislation has the support of Teach
NYS which advocates for equitable government
funding in nonpublic schools.
“Th e nonpublic school community is
1,600 schools strong, educating more than
400,000 children in New York state and
working diligently to keep our children
and teachers safe during this pandemic,”
Teach NYS Executive Director Maury
Litwack said. “It is critical that the state
make the health and safety of all school
children a priority, and provide nonpublic
schools with the funding necessary
to cover the expense of COVID-19 testing.
We thank Assemblyman Hevesi and
Senator Addabbo for their legislation.
NYS continues to make great strides in
containing the spread of COVID-19. In
doing so, let’s ensure the health and safety
of the nonpublic school community is
not left behind and guarantee all schools
are reimbursed for the cost of COVID-
19 testing.”
BY ANGÉLICA ACEVEDO
aacevedo@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
While some public schools reopened
on Dec. 7, nine schools in Queens already
have had to close this week due to positive
COVID-19 cases.
As of Th ursday, Dec. 10, the Department
of Education’s (DOE) daily COVID
cases map, which shows all known cases
of COVID-19 at New York City’s public
schools, listed the following schools closed
due to one or more positive case of the virus
in a school building: P.S. 232 Lindenwood
in Howard Beach, Parsons Preschool in
Woodhaven, P.S. 117 in Briarwood, P.S. 101
and P.S. 144 in Forest Hills, NYL Clearview
School in Flushing, P.S. 229 in Woodside,
P.S. 70 and P.S. 17 in Astoria.
Nine schools also closed in the Bronx,
fi ve closed in Brooklyn, four in Staten
Island and one in Manhattan.
Eleven schools have a 24-hour closure,
while seven will be closed for two weeks
as of Dec. 10. Th e DOE is also tracking
closed classrooms, of which there are currently
77 citywide as of Dec. 1o.
Th e DOE, which is working with several
agencies to compile the data, reported
that of the 113 confi rmed COVID-19
cases in public schools, 55 of them are
from students and 58 from staff .
Mayor Bill de Blasio closed schools
before Th anksgiving aft er the city reached
a 3 percent COVID-19 infection rate, a
threshold that was agreed upon months
ago with teachers unions — but school
closures were already taking place prior
to the full shutdown. School closures may
increase due to more frequent testing,
which is part of the city’s plans to keep the
school system open and safe.
“We have strict protocols in place to
keep our schools safe and we don’t hesitate
to thoroughly investigate and take
quick action if there is a positive case
reported in the building,” DOE spokesperson
Miranda Barbot told QNS. “While
we are increasing testing in schools to
once per week, we continue to emphasize
our preventative safety measures: frequent
hand-washing, social distancing and face
coverings.”
On Friday, Dec. 11, de Blasio announced
the city’s COVID-19 infection rate was
at 5.35 percent, with the number of
daily hospitalizations at 205 (or 2.48 per
100,000 people). De Blasio noted the hospitalizations
numbers have reached their
threshold of 200 hospitalizations per day.
“We’ve been holding the line up to now,
but this is a sign that the hospitalization
issue is becoming a bigger challenge
and one that we’re going to have to confront,
all of us are going to have to be part
of addressing,” said de Blasio during his
daily press briefi ng. “Across the board, we
see that these indicators have all unfortunately
surpassed their thresholds. Th is is
an indicator — this is a sign, I should say,
of how deep this crisis is right now, how
much work we have to do to fi ght back
the coronavirus as we, thank God, implement
the vaccination in the program that
will change everything. Th is is a crucial
moment — and I’m going to say it every
chance I get: everyone has to be part of
this. Everyone needs to wear your mask,
practice social distancing. If you have
travel plans, cancel them now. Stay home
for the holidays. Stay close to the very few
loved ones who are close by. Th is is what
we need to do to get through this last push
until the vaccine is more widely distributed
and we turn the tide.”
Photo via Getty Images
Photo via Getty Images
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