Averill Park CSD Community,
As the pandemic worsened throughout the months of November to January, the District implemented new protocols which required parents and employees to keep all family members of quarantined individuals/close contacts off our campus.
These “C” contacts were not allowed to attend school or work in-person until the individual was released from quarantine. The Averill Park Central School District recognizes the burden that this places on our students, staff, and families, and will be making an adjustment to this requirement.
Over the course of the past two months, COVID-19 positivity rates have consistently declined throughout the state, therefore, beginning Monday, March 1, “C” contacts will be allowed to attend school/work in-person.
As of Monday, Feb. 23, the Capital Region’s positivity rate is down to 1.9% and Rensselaer County’s rate is 1.4%. In contrast, at one time the county rate was above 12%.
Even with this adjustment, the District’s protocols are more stringent than current Department of Health guidance. We will continue to monitor data related to the pandemic on a daily basis and will adjust our guidelines as necessary.
Please be aware that you will see new questions on the Daily Health Screening Survey. Continue to monitor for symptoms of COVID-19, which include fever, cough, fatigue, headache, body ache, shortness of breath, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, runny or stuffy nose, chills, sore throat, and new loss of taste and/or smell.
If anyone experiences these symptoms, they should immediately self-isolate and contact the school district, the Rensselaer County Department of Health and their primary health care provider to determine if they require a COVID-19 test.