2,218 new coronavirus cases reported in Massachusetts schools in past two weeks

A total of 2,218 staff and students in Massachusetts schools have tested positive for coronavirus in the past two weeks as the total for the year tops 15,000.

The weekly report published on Thursdays by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education lists 1,879 students and 339 staff that tested positive for the coronavirus from Oct. 28 to Wednesday.

Reports usually contain data for just one week, but due to power outages that impacted schools, it is possible that positive cases from the week of Oct. 28 have been reported in this week’s totals.

Coronavirus pool testing is being used in more than 2,200 public and private schools, about double last year’s count, according to DESE. The test positivity rate in school this past week was .8%.

Boston Public Schools reported 67 student cases and 21 staff cases.

Districts with the most cases in the past week include 111 in Wakefield, 88 in Boston, 58 in Springfield, 53 in Lawrence and 49 in Haverhill.

A total of 15,231 coronavirus cases have been reported in the weekly infection reports that started Sept. 16.

Massachusetts students and staff will have to continue to mask up in school until at least Jan. 15, unless 80% of people in the school are vaccinated, per a DESE mandate.

With no remote learning options allowed this year, all kids are back to school in person full time. Across all grade levels, an estimated 920,000 students and 140,000 staff are now participating in some form of in-person learning.

The report includes the number of positive COVID-19 cases as reported to DESE by school districts including charter schools and collaboratives.

The number of positive cases for students and staff includes those who are enrolled or employed by the district.

Massachusetts began vaccinating children age 5-11 against coronavirus on Nov. 4. The Pfizer vaccine is currently the only one authorized for use in this age group.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3q8xkIT