Several students tested positive for COVID-19 at a Watertown elementary school, in an incident that is the first confirmed in-school spread within the Watertown Public Schools.
The nine confirmed cases were in one class, and the entire class is now under quarantine, Superintendent Dede Galdston said during Monday’s School Committee meeting.
“We are definitely in a situation right now where we have in-school transmission at Cunniff Elementary School,” Galdston said. “We were able to really get through pretty much a full year in person without having a verified in-school transmission, but it did happen. It is very unfortunate and we are very concerned about the families that are impacted.”
Most of the students who tested positive are asymptomatic, Galdton said.
Cunniff Elementary School, which currently holds school at the former St. Jude’s School in Waltham during construction of the new school. Galdston said the school had had extra cleanings since the cases were reported, and the air circulation system has been examined.
“All the air purifiers have been tested. There were questions if there was something with the HVAC system, but that was not the case,” Galdston said. “We are going to change the filter in that one particular room out of precaution.”
The school is reinforcing the COVID-19 precautions, Galdston said, including making sure students are at least 3 feet apart, and they immediately put their masks back on after eating or drinking.
Galdston also asked parents to keep their children home if they are showing any COVID symptoms.
“It is really important to protect the community,” Galdston said. “I know we are getting into cold season and flu season — please get your flu shot — but don’t assume that it is not COVID and send your children into school.”
Students who test positive must stay home for at least 10 days, Galdston said. If they have a sibling who cannot isolate from the one with the positive test, the sibling must be kept out of school while the other recovers and then must quarantine for seven days after the first one recovers. So, Galdston said, a sibling could have to stay home for 17 days.
Testing Program
This week, the Watertown Schools will begin the “test and stay” program for unvaccinated students if they are close contacts to someone who has tested positive for COVID. This includes an entire elementary school classroom, or students within 3 feet in a middle or high school class.
While School officials had hoped to hold the testing at each of the schools, Galdston said it will take place at one location.
“Testing will be in a central location, the Phillips Administration Building,” Galdston said. “Preschool starts at 8 (a.m.) and Test and Stay begins at 7:15. We are confident we will be able to move them through (before preschool starts). If we find that it is not feasible we can move it to Cunniff West (St. Jude’s School) because that building will be available for us.”
If a student tests negative, the family will be notified by email, Galdston said, but if the student tests positive they will be alerted with a phone call.
The district is also working to provide tests for students who show signs of the virus’ symptoms.
“It looks like we will be able to offer symptomatic testing in one location in the beginning next week,” Galdston said. “Instead of having to go someplace else, they will be able to get it in the Watertown Public Schools.”
School Committee member Lindsay Mosca thanked the school administration for providing in-district tests because it is getting difficult to get a test at pharmacies or other locations.
The Test and Stay testing will be conducted by an outside firm, Galdston said, because Watertown’s school nurses would not have time to do the before-school testing and work a whole day. The Test and Stay staff will be paid for by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) because it is a state requirement, Galdston said.
Let’s hope everyone is OK.
But the actual risk to children this age is reportedly very low.
Surely during cold and flu season we’re going to see a lot of catchy things in school, and it’s well-known that teachers catch things from their students, including lice and who knows what elese.
This has all been going on since time immemorial.
People are going in and out of stores, sports events, office buildings, health clubs, and who know where else. I don’t see schools as unique.
Pfizer scientists were just caught saying that natural immunity from having Covid-19 is more protective then a vaccine:
https://weliveinamadworld.com/pfizer-scientists-caught-admitting-pfizer-is-evil-and-natural-immunity-is-better/
Maybe that is disputed by some, but the point is that government officials say that even if you have gotten Covid you MUST get the vaccination anyway. That’s overreach.
Recall Baker’s order last year that every student (even in college) must get a FLU vaccination.
That made no sense.
It’s all overreach and people are tired of it. There is a point at which it all becomes paranoid and counterproductive. Even many doctors say that but you won’t hear their views on mainstream media.
Go ahead and panic if you want. I’m not going to.
I totally agree with you, sir. Thank God there is one more normal man in this town.
The only people “panicking” are you and your ilk. You are so terrified to take common sense medical and scientific precautions. What are you so scared of??
To have 9 kids from one class test positive for covid seems to indicate that protocols were not followed in terms of masking and distancing. And while the article says most were asymptomatic what it doesn’t say is that some kids got sick and that prompted a visit to a doctor and resulted in testing.
And while William ( above commenter) says the risk to children is very low that doesn’t mean these kids won’t have lingering effects of covid. Lots of new evidence out there suggesting that almost 1/3 of people that have gotten covid have lingering health issues.
How does a story on a Covid outbreak at Cuniff (concerning students who likely can’t be vaccinated yet because of age) become a story on Pfizer scientists bashing their company? (Previous comment) Yes, if you get the disease you will have many antibodies against multiple Covid viral proteins, but if you’re vaccinated, you have antibodies against a key Covid viral protein. The whole idea for getting vaccinated is that your body will be primed to recognize the key viral protein and attack if you’re exposed to the virus, giving your body time to make antibodies against other viral proteins. Thus, you avoid getting ill or at least seriously ill from Covid. You also are less likely to pass it on (if exposed) to the unvaccinated (such as children).
Mandates for flu shots last year (when Covid vaccines weren’t available) were to help distinguish between flu and Covid because early symptoms are similar.
Yes, elementary age children are less likely to become as ill as babies or adults, but they can contract long haul Covid even after mild cases, and we don’t know enough about that yet. Not enough time has lapsed. Long term may mean 60 or 70 years of health care issues. We just don’t know yet.
I think it wise for Watertown schools to be cautious. Not panic, but recognize that there are still unknowns in dealing with Covid. For those who wish to disregard its seriousness, it’s good to keep in mind that the USA has only 4% of the world’s population, but has contributed 17% of the world’s Covid deaths. A little caution is in order.
‘So, Galdston said, a sibling could have to stay home for 17 days.’
What about families with more than 2 children? If a second child is diagnosed with Covid, the quarantine protocols start again and any other siblings will miss another 17 days of school. What provisions have been made to ensure that the children who may miss more that 30 days of school do not fall behind?
The school committee recently solicited suggestions for use of state allocated 3 million dollars in Covid relief money. Maybe accommodations for children missing weeks of school should be considered. Remote learning with a substitute teacher perhaps?
Merely identifying this as a possible problem without having any practical solutions is troubling.