(Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office)
Oct. 14, 2020 By Allie Griffin
New York City tested more than 1,500 public school students and educators for COVID-19 last week and found just one positive case — a student.
The Department of Education (DOE) began its random testing program in schools on Friday at 56 schools — including seven in Queens — and tested 1,791 students and staff members combined for the coronavirus.
Only one student, from a Bronx school, tested positive and is quarantining along with close contacts, the DOE said. That means the positivity rate of the random sampling was .06 percent.
The DOE testing program will survey roughly 10 to 20 percent of a school’s in-class population — both students and staff included — each month.
The DOE testing is in addition to the state requirement that schools within a yellow zone — outside a coronavirus hotspot — do weekly COVID testing. Schools within orange and red zones, where coronavirus clusters are concentrated are currently closed for at least two weeks.
The testing results released by the DOE Tuesday does not include schools within the yellow, orange or red zones.
Parents or guardians must sign a release form that they will allow their children to be tested for COVID-19. The tests are nasal swabs and results will be released directly to parents.
Queens schools that were included in the first round of COVID-19 testing include:
I.S. 25 Adrien Block, located at 34-65 192nd St. in Auburndale
Jamaica Gateway to the Sciences, located at 167-01 Gothic Dr. in Jamaica Hills
I.S. 230, located at 73-10 34th Ave. in Jackson Heights
Hillside Arts, located at 167-01 Gothic Dr. in Jamaica Hills
World Journalism Preparatory: A College Board School, located at 34-65 192nd St. in Auburndale
Queens Collegiate: A College Board School, located at 167-01 Gothic Dr. in Jamaica Hills
High School for Community Leadership, located at 167-01 Gothic Dr. in Jamaica Hills
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