COVID Update: NYC schools will remain open Monday as 7-day positivity rate stays below 3%

Coronavirus update for NYC

ByDiana Rocco WABC logo

Sunday, November 15, 2020

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NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- As COVID rates rise in New York City, many in the school community are keeping a close eye on the positivity rate.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio says learning would go back to remote-only city wide if the positivity rate reaches 3%.

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Right now, the 7-day test average is at 2.57% and Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted that schools will remain open on Monday.

The mayor reiterated the announcement during his briefing at the Brown Memorial Baptist Church in Brooklyn.

"I do want to let you know that school is open tomorrow, and that's a blessing, and every additional day that school is opened is a blessing," de Blasio said.

The daily test positivity is expected to backfill and increase as more test results are entered into the system, but it's not expected to push Sunday's 7-day average to 3%.

However, on Saturday, parents and students rallied in Foley Square, holding signs and demanding city officials to keep schools open.

They say random testing and safety precautions have kept positivity rates low in classrooms and feel that schools are safe and in-person learning is necessary.

"Schools are essential, they should be the last to close, the first to open. We need our schools, families need it, but really the kids need it," parent Maude Maron said.

Governor Andrew Cuomo on Saturday, suggested city officials consider adding the low positivity rate in schools to the decision on whether to shut down or stay open to in-person learning.

New York City should consider a school's COVID-19 positivity rate when deciding whether to close it to in-person learning, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday.

For now, the city is still under the 3% threshold, but it seems city officials are keeping a close eye on this number.

Of the 1.2 million students in New York City, roughly 25% are currently enrolled in in-person learning.

"It's the one place we can actually learn, and have a fun time learning," student Felix Manasek said. "My parents are both professors and they teach college students so it's hard to understand them in college language."

In addition, Sunday is the last day for parents to choose to opt-in for in-person learning for the rest of the year.

The Superintendent of Catholic Schools for Brooklyn and Queens announced Sunday that all 69 schools and academies will remain open and continue to provide in-person learning, irrespective of any impending decision pertaining to the status of New York City public schools.

The city reported a 7-day average of COVID cases at 937, 117 hospital admissions and a COVID positivity rate of 31.71% among hospital admissions.