Coronavirus: New York schools to reopen, governor Andrew Cuomo says

'We have the best infection rate in the country. If any state can do it, we can do it,' Mr Cuomo says

Danielle Zoellner
New York
Friday 07 August 2020 17:49 BST
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Schools can repoen for in-person classes in all regions of New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced.

"By our infection rate, all schools can reopen in all regions of the state," Mr Cuomo said during a conference call on Friday. "We are going to watch the infection rate between now and the day the schools open. If there is a spike in the infection rate ... then we can't reopen. But for planning purposes, they can reopen."

He added: "So the good news, all schools can reopen ... again we have the best infection rate in the country. If any state can do it, we can do it."

This announcement has solidified New York's standing in the country as being one of few states with a stable coronavirus infection rate. For months prior, the state, specifically New York City, was the epicentre of the novel virus in the US.

The state reported an infection rate of 1 per cent on Friday and five people died from the coronavirus the previous day.

Last month Mr Cuomo gave permission to all school districts to reopen by September if the infection rate remained below 5 per cent over a 14-day rolling average – a threshold all regions of the state currently meet, as of Friday. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said he would require an infection rate below 3 per cent to allow in-person classes in the metropolitan city.

Now Mr Cuomo has given permission to 749 school districts to reopen, but that doesn't mean that all districts will reopen. Instead, it will be up to local politicians and administrators to come up with a plan for how their district can safely reopen. These plans must be submitted to New York State Public Health Department for approval. Plans must also be submitted to the Education Department about what classes would look like.

Thus far, 127 districts in the state have not submitted plans for reopening safely to be approved by the state's health department. Additionally, about 50 schools that submitted plans have submitted "incomplete" or "deficient" plans, Mr Cuomo said.

The health department was expected to submit feedback to school districts starting on Monday regarding their reopening plans.

New York state has also required guidelines for each school district to follow if in-person classes were to resume. These guidelines include wearing a mask when social distancing rules can not be followed, the cleaning of classrooms, and Covid-19 testing and contact tracing for anyone who gets infected. If parents are unable to provide a mask for their child, it will be on the school district to provide one.

In addition, school districts were required to submit plans on its website relating to three categories: how it plans to test students and staff, how contact tracing will work, and how they will enact remote learning.

The large school districts would also need to hold five town halls to allow parents and students to express their concerns to administrators prior to 21 August. For parents concerned about sending their child to school in the fall amid the pandemic, they will be allowed to submit a request for full remote learning to their city education department by Friday.

If the virus were to spike in certain areas prior to schools reopening, then permission for in-person classes could be revoked, Mr Cuomo said.

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