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[Update] Two Brooklyn Teachers Test Positive For COVID-19 During Back-To-School Prep
By
Sophia Chang
Published Sep 9, 2020
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By
Sophia Chang
Published Sep 9, 2020
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This story has been updated with confirmation from the Department of Education.
At least two teachers at different District 15 schools have tested positive for COVID-19 by the second day of educators’ return to classrooms, a city official and the Department of Education confirmed Wednesday.
One teacher was at P.S. 001 Bergen School in Sunset Park and the other teacher at M.S. 88 in Park Slope, City Councilmember Brad Lander said in a phone interview Wednesday.
In a statement, a DOE spokesperson confirmed the two cases and said they notified staff at both schools immediately after the results were reported.
“School staff have access to free, expedited testing and we’ve encouraged all staff to get tested before they return to buildings while we continue to navigate the realities of a pandemic," said Miranda Barbot of the DOE in an emailed statement. "Our protocol is to immediately notify staff and Test and Trace will begin an investigation to determine any close contacts. We’ll require any staff identified as close contacts to quarantine, and remain vigilant to prevent spread.”
The city's Test and Trace Corps is also investigating the contacts the two teachers may have had. Under the DOE's protocol, one case does not close down a school, though staff had the option to work from home while contact tracing is complete.
Lander said he believes the teachers each took a COVID-19 test on their own as a precautionary measure before the first day of returning to school Tuesday.
“I think they had taken a test maybe a few days ago, and just gotten the results back last night that were positive,” Lander said. “They were asymptomatic. And in both cases they had been in school yesterday, for the first day.”
Once they got results Tuesday evening, the two teachers both notified their principals, who then notified their teaching staff, Lander said. The staff at both schools were permitted to work remotely Wednesday, Lander said, though M.S. 88 staff were expected back in school Thursday.
The MORE caucus of the United Federation of Teachers union said there was another positive case at P.S. 11 in District 13, which could not be immediately confirmed by the DOE.
Lander said the two cases raise a scenario for the DOE to practice the protocols they adopted.
"I think it does raise a question obviously if there's any spread beyond those two teachers, then I suspect these individual schools will not open on time as planned. But if they can do testing, if they can confirm there was no spread than the two individuals who tested positive and anybody else who does will be quarantined, but otherwise it'll be contained," he said.
"Look, this is going to be an anxious fall -- there are in New York City going to be more more cases. The question will be, 'can we act quickly to contain them?' and to me this is a good first test right now," Lander added. "I think it'll actually boost confidence that this is an approach that...we can step forward into."
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COVID-19
coronavirus
schools reopening
Sophia Chang
Sophia Chang is a former WNYC and Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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