Yesterday, The state of Massachusetts reported 5,134 new cases of Coronavirus since Friday, January 8th. That number does not include those testing positive with home tests as they are not recorded by the state. In Bristol County, the city of New Bedford has one of the highest rates of Covid-19 infections and the lowest vaccination rate.
Since the start of the pandemic, our nurses and administrative staff have worked non-stop to contact the families of those who have been identified as a close contact and provide all the needed support. At this time, however, public health departments are no longer notifying close contacts but are asking infected persons to notify their close contacts themselves.
Beginning today, January 11, 2022, we will be notifying only those staff and families of students who are at the highest risk of transmission. We should all assume that when we’re in a large gathering we may be near individuals who are carrying the Covid-19 virus. We ask that everyone continue to wash their hands regularly, practice social distancing and wear a mask to help prevent transmission of the virus.
On January 10, 2022 the Commissioner of Education continued the mask mandate through February 28, 2022. We cannot emphasize enough how important it is for everyone to wear their face masks correctly; that is, the mask must cover the nose and mouth for it to be effective. Students are to wear their masks at all times except while they are eating lunch or during a mask break. When they are finished eating, they must resume wearing their mask for the remainder of lunch period. When they are not wearing their masks, it’s important that they maintain a distance of at least three feet from the nearest person. I ask that you review these mask rules with your student.
With the mask mandate being extended I am cancelling all after school activities through February 28. Information will be forthcoming regarding virtual after school tutoring later this week.
As a reminder, we are having a Covid-19 vaccine clinic on Thursday, January 20th from 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM. CVS will be offering Moderna and Pfizer 1st, 2nd and booster shots. You can register for the clinic here. CVS will also be accepting walk-in appointments. Please remember to bring your vaccination card if you have one.
We will continue to monitor the Covid-19 cases and to practice all preventive measures including frequent cleaning and sanitization of school facilities. We will also continue to enforce the school mask mandate. If you don’t feel well, please stay home and isolate yourself from others. Those who test positive for Covid-19 or who have Covid-19 symptoms or are identified as a close contact should call the school nurses or email [email protected] for further information related to quarantining and testing protocols.
Thank you for your continued cooperation and understanding. I hope that working together with our families, we will continue to keep our school community safe for our students and staff through this surge in cases.
Sincerely,
Stephen J. Furtado, Ph.D
Executive Director