Cuomo Suggests New York City Adjust School Closing Threshold – Telemundo New York (47)

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio described this weekend as crucial in deciding whether to close and remotely move to classes, as indicators of daily COVID-19 cases fall They approach 3%, the threshold that the mayor set for this change to happen.

De Blasio told parents Friday to prepare for the city’s school system to possibly move to online learning as soon as Monday if the spread of the virus continued to accelerate.

On Saturday, the positivity rate dropped slightly to 2.47%, down from the 2.8% reported on Friday, but is expected to rise as new additional test results are released, the city’s health commissioner tweeted.

For his part, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who had previously intervened in decisions about school closures in the Big Apple, chose this time not to do so in the event that New York City schools decide do what. He reiterated Friday that he had left local school decisions up to local school districts, as long as the thresholds for any district are within the parameters set by the state.

However, on Saturday, during a conference call, the governor suggested that the mayor and school leaders consider adding additional factors to the 3% school closure threshold. “Since the 3% was established, we have become more sophisticated and have more capacity than we had at the time,” he said on the conference call. “Now remember, 3% is a relatively low number. Just in context, New Jersey has more than 6% and Connecticut is close to 5%, Pennsylvania, meanwhile, has 9%. Three is a relatively low number. “

What the governor suggests is that a factor of positivity be added to the schools themselves. Cuomo argued that specific tests done by schools on students and staff introduced new data into the equation and should be taken into account. The New York governor said he spoke by phone with Mayor de Blasio to suggest such an adjustment.

“I want to comment on New York City and school closings. Add to your calculation a school positivity rate. If the school is not spreading COVID-19 or if the school has a lot positivity rate lower than the surroundings, then the school is not part of the problem and it could be argued that keeping the children in school is part of the solution rather than the children spending time on the streets in the neighborhood where the infection rate it’s higher, “the governor said.” Students are tested at that school and if that school doesn’t present a problem, then let the school run. I think New York City should seriously consider that. ” added.

De Blasio’s 3% is well below the 9% mark Cuomo set for closing and the 5% mark he set for the initial reopening a few months ago. That said, he would rather keep them open for now, and he urged the mayor and the teachers union to consider a higher threshold in the future.

The city is preparing to close all school buildings if the rate crosses the threshold over the weekend, de Blasio said. “I want to urge parents to have a plan ready that they can put into action on Monday,” de Blasio said during his weekly talk on WNYC radio. “Parents should have a plan for the rest of November.”

The governor of New York said he wants parents and teachers to be part of the decision on closing schools because, according to him, “closing schools has secondary consequences that people don’t usually think about.”

Calls to keep schools open in the city were echoed by New York City Council President Corey Johnson, who on Friday issued a statement in support of preventing city-wide school closings.

“Our city is in a dangerous position right now with rising rates of COVID-19. But we owe it to students and families, and to all New Yorkers who care about the future of this city, to do everything possible to keep schools open to provide services in person while prioritizing safety and security. equity. This is especially important for families who depend on our government to be the great equalizer, “said Johnson’s statement, in part.

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