My School Can Do More to Help in the Fight Against COVID-19
I am currently in the seventh grade at Pierre Van Cortlandt Middle School in Croton-on-Hudson. With the current number of cases that have been popping up in the school, I would like to bring to your attention the current COVID protocols.
First, I will start with the proper masking guidelines. I have noticed that most of the people in my school have been wearing cloth masks, which at first we thought were effective but with more study we have found that they are not very effective. Under the right conditions, COVID can pass right through them, especially Omicron. The New York State Health Department and the CDC both recommend that to stay safe you should wear a N95 or KN95 mask.
In addition, there is the problem with masking outdoors. Contrary to popular thinking, even though you are outside you can still get COVID if you are not properly distanced. The CDC recommends that you stay six feet away from someone when outside if you are not masked.
Many students look up to their teachers, and this is why it is important for them to follow the correct COVID protocols, especially to wear masks indoors. I see many teachers taking off their masks while teaching, and then putting them on later once they already potentially spread COVID. Data from the state Health Department says that there are a total of eight teachers that tested positive.
Something else that can help with COVID is proper ventilation. This means opening the windows, using outside space as much as possible and staying properly distanced. The school is being filtered with MERV 13 filters listed in the 2021 school reopening plan.
One last thing. One day I stayed home because I had COVID symptoms. To keep up with my work I tried to join one of the virtual meetings, only to be asked to not come back the next day because I was not yet “COVID approved.” Upon further investigation I found that this policy is not required by the state. I wanted to ask why students that have potential COVID symptoms are not allowed to join the virtual meetings. It would also be nice if the school offered a 100 percent virtual option during the dangerous Omicron wave.
It seems counterintuitive to the profile of a Croton graduate to prevent people from catching up on work while they are not sure if they are sick with COVID.
I hope you take what I say into consideration.
Callum Franco
Croton-on-Hudson
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