3 new COVID cases reported in schools
Number remains in single digits
GREENWICH — Three more cases of COVID-19 were reported Tuesday in the Greenwich Public Schools as the number of new cases among students and staff remains in the single digits, according to the latest update on the school district’s online tracker.
In the six weeks since classes began Sept. 1, a total of 72 cases of COVID-19 have been reported, according to the tracker.
The weekly totals saw an initial peak in mid-September but have settled into the single digits since then, with two cases reported in the first week of school, 16 in the second week, 25 in third week, 15 in the fourth week, five in the fifth week and nine in the past week, according to the district.
There are currently eight active cases of COVID-19 in the district, two of which are due to family or outside activity and six are of an undetermined origin. The cases impact five students, one teacher and two service providers, according to the tracker.
Of the eight currently activecases, six schools are affected, with two cases each at Greenwich High and Hamilton Avenue and one case each at Eastern Middle, Glenville, North Mianus and Old Greenwich, according to data on the tracker.
So far this school year, no cases have been reported at these schools: Cos Cob, Parkway and Windrose, according to the tracker.
The latest update continues the low trend of new COVID-19 cases reported in the district. Last Friday, six new cases were reported, and only two cases were reported on Oct 5. Three new cases were reported on Oct. 1 on the tracker, after five new cases were reported on Sept. 28.
A new policy went into effect last month at Greenwich Public Schools that requires all district employees to either be vaccinated or undergo weekly testing for COVID-19.
“Our staff is now 100 percent in compliance,” Jonathan Supranowitz, district spokesperson, said last week. For staff members who have chosen to provide a negative test, they must keep up that practice weekly, he said.
An executive order from Gov. Ned Lamont required all school staff across the state to be vaccinated by Sept. 27 or undergo weekly testing.
The school district updates its online tracker every Tuesday and Friday morning to alert the GPS community about updates on COVID-19.
As of Oct. 7, Connecticut’s school submission summary of COVID-19 reported 601 cases of COVID-19 in public and private schools statewide during the week of Sept. 30 through Oct. 6. That is down slightly from 686 from Sept. 23 through Sept. 29, which was a big drop from the 855 cases the week before that. The state updates its schools COVID-19 data every Thursday.
A year ago, the first confirmed COVID-19 case in Greenwich Public Schools came in mid-September and, until late October, cases remained in the single digits districtwide. For the 2020-21 school year, a total of 697 cases of COVID-19 were reported districtwide.
Under an executive order from Gov. Ned Lamont, masks are required for everyone, regardless of immunization status, in schools statewide until at least Feb. 15. The legislature last month granted an extension of the governor’s emergency powers covering COVID-19 — and the mandates now in place.