BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Kriner Cash expressed wariness about the growing number of COVID-19 cases in the district Wednesday during the latest school board meeting.
According to district health leaders, BPS has seen 800 new COVID cases since September 3, which includes 574 students and 226 adults connected to the district, including teachers, vendors, and other staff.
The district added that most cases are spreading in the community first and then being brought into schools, with every building having reported at least one case of COVID-19 to date. The two zip codes with the highest spread in Buffalo were listed being 14212 in Lovejoy and 14220 in South Buffalo.
The meeting's cautionary build-up did not lead to any districtwide change, and while remote learning was mentioned Wednesday, it was only used as a warning.
"We're trying to continue to keep schools open five days a week because we know how important it is for our children to be in school," Dr. Cash said.
Cash added anecdotally that more of the COVID cases seen in BPS students have led to higher hospitalization. Data was not provided, but Erie County has reported a similar trend with young people now accounting for 27% of all new cases.
"We're at a higher point now than a year ago when we were in that severe red zone status. That's where we are right now, and so I'm very very concerned. I don't want to have to close schools," Dr. Cash said.
The district said its goal is to get more students vaccinated with 5 to 11-year-olds now eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine. It also asked that more families give their consent to test students, which could help prevent unnecessary quarantines and COVID spread.
School board member-at-large Larry Scott asked about implementing the state's "test to stay" option, which is meant to rule out students who may have been exposed to COVID-19 but didn't contract it. The goal is to reduce how many people have to quarantine after a single positive test.
Dr. Cash said they hope to explore the option with the Erie County Health Department.