Mayor Bill de Blasio stated that New York City would double COVID-19’s PCR testing in schools upon students returning in January.
De Blasio was joined by Eric Adams (mayor-elect) and Kathy Hochul (Governor). They spoke Tuesday during a presentation about viruses and the need to get students back into school in January. This is important for parents as well as for children. Schools are the “safest places to be in New York City,” de Blasio said.
“Your children are safer in school,” Adams said during the briefing. De Blasio and Adams said that they had been closely planning for January 3, when schools would reopen.
The new approach for schools in January is called “stay safe and stay open,” the mayor said. According to his plan, schools will be able to receive at-home test kits when students are positive. Students who test positive and are not symptomatic will be allowed to go back to school. He said that students will be required to take two tests at home over seven days.
Hochul stated that she had sent 600,000.000 quick tests to the city. The state and the city are working to make sure there’s no shortage of supply, Hochul said.
New York City reports more than 20,000 cases confirmed or probable each day in the past week. That’s more than double the daily average over the past 28 days. Even though cases are up, the number of hospitalizations is still below 2020’s record.
During the briefing, Dave Chokshi, Health Commissioner, stated that 98% of school-age friends do not develop COVID-19. Schools are more secure than other places because of vaccinations, testing, ventilation and testing.
