Governor Kathy Hochul has announced requirements and guidance for schools to reopening. The Public Health and Health Planning Council passed an emergency regulation Thursday and the Health Commissioner issued a determination requiring all teachers, administrators and other school employees to submit to weekly COVID-19 testing unless they show proof of vaccination.
The Governor also announced that the New York State Department of Health has finalized and released official guidance for classroom instruction. These follow the announcement last week of a mask requirement for everyone in school buildings during instructional hours and extracurricular activities.
Per the new guidance, schools should implement physical distancing of at least 3 feet between all students. Physical distancing should be at least 6 feet is recommended between students and teachers or staff, and between teachers and staff who are not fully vaccinated. Students and drivers must wear masks on school buses, regardless of vaccination status, subject to applicable exclusions and exemptions.
The Commissioner’s determination for masking in schools applies to all indoor settings, including indoor sports and extracurricular activities. For indoor sports and extracurricular activities in which masking is not possible, such as swimming, a minimum distance of 6 feet must be maintained. Schools are encouraged to implement required screening testing for participants who are not fully vaccinated.
Schools must have capacity and offer screening testing for any teachers and staff at least once a week. Schools must also have the capacity to provide diagnostic testing for any student, teacher, or staff member who is symptomatic or has been exposed to someone infected with COVID-19.
In addition to implementing the test-vaccine requirement, the DOH recommends that all public school districts and non-public schools should support opportunities for students and staff to access COVID-19 vaccination clinics in collaboration with local health partners. The guidance continues the daily reporting requirement for school districts to ensure they are providing data to the NYS School COVID Report Card, another tool to share COVID-19 information with families and communities.
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