Schools
New Hyde Park HS Staffer Contracts Coronavirus; 1st Day Still On
Officials say nine other staffers came in close contact with the staffer. The building will still reopen for the first day of school.
NEW HYDE PARK, NY — A staff member at New Hyde Park Memorial High School tested positive for coronavirus just days before the first day of school, and nine other staffers were in close contact with that person for a prolonged period of time, officials said. However, New Hyde Park Memorial's first day of school for students will still be Thursday, and teachers would still report to the building Tuesday and Wednesday this week for staff development days.
In a letter posted to the Sewanhaka Central High School District website superintendent James Grossane said Nassau County health officials confirmed Sunday a staff member at the high school tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Health officials investigated the diagnosis — including contact tracing — and found that nine more staff members were within 6 feet of the infected staffer for at least 10 minutes. No one else was exposed, officials said.
Under guidelines from the state and county Department of Health, the staffer who tested positive will not be allowed to return to school for at least 10 days. The person must also have a negative test result provided to the district. The nine staffers who were in close contact with that person must quarantine for 14 days.
"We were advised by the Nassau County Health Department that no additional testing or quarantines are necessary for any other individuals, including staff who attended Superintendent's Conference Day activities on September 2nd and 3rd," Grossane said
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The building, especially the rooms the staff member attended meetings in, will all be cleaned and disinfected, officials said. Health officials told the district the building is safe to reopen after the cleaning.
The positive case comes as Gov. Andrew Cuomo unveiled the state's new "COVID Report Card" website parents and staff can track the number of tests and positive cases at a particular school or district. The site is not live yet.
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