NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — The union representing the city’s public school teachers is calling on Mayor Bill de Blasio to reinstate weekly coronavirus testing following citywide outbreaks during the first week of the academic year.
“While so far our public schools have successfully reopened, I am concerned that this year’s reduced frequency of COVID testing means that thousands of children will spend days in classrooms without the early warning system that last year made our schools among the safest places in the community,” wrote Michael Mulgrew, the president of the United Federation of Teachers, in a letter to the de Blasio administration Sunday.
The city transitioned from weekly to biweekly testing in city schools for the in-person start of the academic school year last week. So far outbreaks have forced the closure of an entire East Harlem school as well as another 118 classrooms, according to city data.
In the first five days of classes, the DOE recorded 812 positive coronavirus cases — 487 cases among students and another 325 among staff — according to the same data.
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“We must do all we can to keep our schools open and our students and staff safe. Weekly testing of students under age 12, along with those in District 75, must be reinstated if we are to meet that goal,” Mulgrew added, referring to the district for students with special learning needs.
Both Mulgrew and City Hall still considered the first week of school for roughly 1 million public students a success.
Danielle Filson, a press secretary for the DOE, issued a statement saying the agency will base policies on guidance from medical experts — without speaking directly to the union head’s request.
"Last week we successfully and safely opened our schools to all New York City students for the first time in 18 months,” Filson said. “We will continue to base our health and safety protocols off the guidance of our medical experts and in the best interest of our school communities."