NYC Schools Boost Covid Testing Ahead of Midwinter Break

(Bloomberg) -- New York City schools are boosting their in-school Covid testing program in anticipation of a possible surge during midwinter break. 

Effective Feb. 7, each school will test the larger of two possible pools of random students: 10% of first- through 12th-grade enrollment up to 250 students, or 20% of the unvaccinated population, according to a Monday release from the city Department of Education. The change is aimed at testing more students in schools with well vaccinated populations. 

The updated policy comes after the omicron variant led to a leap in infections and breakthrough cases across New York City last month. Some parents are also pushing the city to adopt a temporary remote-class option, which Mayor Eric Adams said he would consider this month. 

The system reported a single-day high of over 14,000 cases on Jan 10. On Jan. 28, the district reported 732 cases, said Press Secretary Nathaniel Styer, a decline of roughly 95%. Attendance was about 82% that day. 

The city also is tightening its attendance policy. Since Jan 14, some students weren't marked absent if they met with teachers on Zoom office hours and got class materials online. Effective Feb. 2, all students who are not sick or quarantining will be marked present only if they attend in person.

Since the beginning of the 2021-22 school year, over 130,000 students, or more than 10% of the student body, have tested positive, according to city data.

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