No new cases in Greenwich schools for first time in 8 months

GREENWICH — For the first time since the school district started tracking COVID-19 cases in September, there are zero new cases in its latest biweekly update released on Friday.

In the last week, just three new COVID-19 cases were reported districtwide. And in the last two weeks, only 11 have been reported.

There are two active cases of the coronavirus — one at Greenwich High and one at North Street, according to the district’s online tracker. The total active cases of COVID-19 since the start of school remains at 690.

“We are very encouraged by our decline in COVID-19 cases for the district, and for our robust tracker to have no cases to report for today,” Superintendent of Schools Toni Jones said Friday. “In addition, overall, most cases have been from community spread, not inside the school, and we hope that this good news continues and that we may

finish out the school year on a strong, positive note.”

The low numbers come immediately after the district’s largest outbreak of the school year occurred in April. Before and after spring break, the district reported more than 40 new

COVID-19 cases a week.

The surge was especially impactful at Greenwich High, where more than 100 students and staff members were quarantined at a time and the boys and girls lacrosse team, as well as the boys baseball team, missed parts of their seasons due to potential exposure to the virus.

But COVID-19 cases

appear under to be control in Greenwich Schools as the end of the school year approaches. Since May 1, all adults over 18 were eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, then 16 to18 year olds became eligible. As of this week, Gov. Ned Lamont said children ages 12 to 15 are also able to get the Pfizer vaccine.

In Greenwich, clinics for

students are scheduled in the coming days and weeks.

The Community Health Center of Stamford is hosting a series of vaccination clinics for students at the Stamford Lord & Taylor. There are appointments for a first dose available through May 18.

Family Centers of Greenwich is also hosting clinics for students beginning next

Thursday.

The first clinic will be held at Greenwich High School, from 1 to 5 p.m. May 20. The second will be out of the Eastern Middle School auditorium, from 2 to 5:15 p.m. May 24. A clinic will be held at the Western Middle School auditorium, from 2 to 5:15 p.m. May 25. And on May 27, a final clinic will be held at the

Central Middle School gym, from 2 to 5:15 p.m.

For more information, or to make an appointment, visit the Community Health Center’s website, Family Centers’ COVID resource page, or the Yale New Haven COVID-19 vaccination site.