Covid Health and Safety Notice

/21/2022 

Dear I.S. 024 Myra S. Barnes at 750 DURANT AVENUE community,

I am writing to notify you that a member or members of our school community have tested positive for COVID-19 and may have exposed others while at school.

Below you will find guidance on the next steps that will help keep our school community healthy and safe. The information below reflects the expertise of the Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), Test & Trace Corp (T2), and the New York City Department of Education (DOE).

Note: DOHMH has issued new guidance due to the current transmission level of COVID. All people, regardless of vaccination status are strongly encouraged to wear masks at all times when indoors in a public setting. Please see the DOHMH advisory for more information.

What Happens Now?

· In 3K, Pre-K and K-12 classrooms, students and staff who shared classroom space with the individual who tested positive will receive at-home tests with guidance and directions. All may continue to attend school as long as they test negative for COVID and have no COVID like symptoms.

· The Situation Room will monitor our school for any further interventions.

· Anyone with a positive COVID-19 test will not return to the school until they are no longer infectious.

· As a reminder, regardless of age, students who are fully vaccinated do not need to quarantine when they are exposed to COVID-19, unless they have symptoms.

· If your child is feeling sick, keep them at home.

· If your child is under 2 years old in a LYFE classroom, they must quarantine for at least 8 days since their last exposure. In order to test to return to school on Day 8, your child must be asymptomatic, and have a negative lab-based test taken on Day 5. Children that do not get tested can return after quarantining for 10 days. Note: home test kits are not considered valid for children under 2 years old, unless administered by a health care provider.

· Students that have had, and recovered from, COVID within the last 90 days do not need to quarantine.

How do we stay healthy?

We strongly encourage the COVID-19 vaccination for all age-eligible students. Find a vaccine site today at https://vaccinefinder.nyc.gov/. There is no cost to be vaccinated.

Vaccine booster shots are now available for all fully vaccinated New Yorkers 5 years and older. These shots boost your immunity from an initial vaccination series. A booster shot is recommended for any adult who received the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine at least five months ago, the second dose of the Moderna vaccine at least six months ago, or the one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months ago.

Please remember to follow these important actions to prevent COVID-19 transmission:

1. Stay home if sick (except to get essential medical care, including COVID-19 testing).

2. Wear a face covering if you are symptomatic or exposed to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

3. Practice healthy hand hygiene: Wash your hands often or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; avoid touching your face; and cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hands.

How can I stay updated?

We will continue to closely follow directions from public health experts and proactively update you on any measures we are taking. To ensure we can reach you via text and email, please create a New York City Schools Account (NYCSA) as soon as possible by visiting schools.nyc.gov/nycsa

For additional information on COVID-19, visit schools.nyc.gov/coronavirus or call 311.

Sincerely,