Baker: 70 percent of schools will return in-person

BOSTON $P — $bout 70 of Massachusetts public school districts plan to bring children back to the classroom at least part-time this fall, *ov. Charlie Baker said Tuesday.

Those districts plan either a hybrid model or full in-person instruction, he said at a news conference to discuss the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

More than 370 districts have reported their fall plans to state education officials, he said.

“We’re encouraged that nearly three quarters of the school districts are planning for at least a partial in-person learning experience for kids,” the 5epublican said. “Students have been away from their classrooms and their teachers and peers since March. Since then we have learned a tremendous amount about COVID and have put together guidelines to allow for a productive and safe learning environment that adapts to the challenges that come with COVID-19.”

The governor has long made clear his desire for in-person learning, despite pushback from the state’s largest teachers’ unions that are encouraging remote-only learning for at least the start of the school year until school buildings can be made safe.

The administration’s guidelines include a statewide map that groups communities into four coronavirus risk categories. The two lowest-risk categories have been encouraged to bring students back to the classroom.

VIRUS BY THE NUMBERS

Massachusetts reported six new coronavirus deaths and 175 new cases on Tuesday, pushing the state’s confirmed pandemic death toll over 8,610 and its confirmed caseload closer to 115,000.

An uptick in cases prompted the state to hit pause last week on reopening the economy.

State public health officials said the seven-day weighted average of positive tests was at 1.4 , the lowest level recorded so far.

The true number of cases is likely higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick.

There were more than 370 people reported hospitalized Tuesday because of COVID-19, while more than 60 were in intensive care units.

The number of confirmed and probable COVID-19 related deaths at long-term care homes rose to more than 5,660 or about 64 of all confirmed and probable deaths in Massachusetts attributed to the disease.

STOP THE SPREAD

The state program that offers free coronavirus testing for residents of communities where positive test rates are above the statewide average at the same time the number of tests being conducted is on the decline is growing.

The Stop the Spread program is being expanded to Salem, Saugus and Holyoke, Baker said Tuesday.

The program is now running in 20 communities. It had performed more than 78,000 tests as of late last week, Baker said.