First few weeks of school 

Classroom wellness cannot be solved with masks alone. CT, MA & RI (and 13 other states) have initiated mask mandates, yet COVID-19 outbreaks are still popping up throughout our southern New England districts and across the nation, forcing quarantines and closures.

The message of many educators is optimistic. However, the Delta variant is testing back-to-school plans. This article covers the current pulse across the nation and Southern New England. Many of the links shared are continuously updated. Consider bookmarking and saving this article as a future resource.

Trends and observations

Delta and Pre-Delta

President Biden is calling for the mandate of vaccinations for all teachers and staff. Many GOP states are ignoring this plea from Washington as well as the suggested mask mandates.

Due to the extreme stress, mentally and academically, remote learning put on students, the goal is to keep kids in the classroom. However, the CDC has not provided specific metrics on when school officials should shutter schools or classrooms.

“There’s pre-delta and delta. We’ve seen such a dramatic change in transmission… There’s no such thing as a safe school today with covid. There are safer schools, not safe,” said Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota and a member of Biden’s covid-19 transition team.

When will herd immunity save us? Kids, 18-years-old and under, represent 22% of our population. Getting students vaccinated is a key factor towards reaching herd immunity. Unfortunately, at the start of the pandemic, health leaders estimated herd immunity could be reached with 70% of the population vaccinated. With 46% of the US population failing to be inoculated, and the addition of more aggressive transmission rates of the Delta strain, herd immunity will not occur until closer to 80% vaccination rates have been achieved.

In-School Testing

New Funding

Test-and-Stay

Massachusetts has adopted a new state-sponsored testing program, Test-and-Stay, aimed to more quickly identify positive cases and close contacts.  The goal is to keep kids safely in school as much as possible instead of sending non-infected students home for mass quarantines.

“We only have our students for 180 days out of the school year in most of our schools in the state,” said Massachusetts DESE Deputy Commissioner Russell Johnston. “And you know, that time matters, every day matters.”

Under “Test and Stay,” students who are identified as close contacts of people who contracted COVID-19 are administered a daily test for at least five days following their initial exposure. Students may remain in class so long as they produce a negative test result each day.

According to Johnston, close contact is considered anyone who was within 6 feet of an individual known to have COVID-19 for more than 15 minutes.

Classrooms and Cleanliness

Positive cases, practices, and perceptions

Cases of COVID-19 in 12-years-old and younger are skyrocketing due to heightened transmission rates and the Delta strain. Once a positive case has been detected inside a classroom, disinfection needs to occur as soon as possible. With staffing shortages, not helping matters, this is easier said than done.

Attleboro MA Public Schools have solved this by using some of their funding dollars towards disinfecting robots to quickly disinfect classrooms in hours instead of days.

A year after the start of the pandemic, a survey conducted by the American Cleaning Institute shows 85 percent of respondents are very or somewhat likely to maintain the same level of cleaning practices initially adopted in March 2020, even when the pandemic has passed.

Cleaning surfaces in commercial settings and residential homes is front and center.  With more attention being paid to hygiene, people are spending more time on areas like doorknobs (45%), the kitchen (41%) and bathrooms (39%). That’s good news since even after the pandemic, these high-touch surfaces will continue to be a place where germs can spread.

Keeping school clean and open

Without virtual offerings

Unlike last year, many school systems do have a virtual "plan B" in place. If a child tests positive, he/she and all close contacts are forced to quarantine at home for 7-10 days. Those days are missed days, no virtual classroom option is available.

High-touch areas need special attention

In a strange twist, this year's back-to-school model spotlights the importance of cleaning and disinfection in a brighter manner than ever before.  It's imperative to keep surfaces at school, especially high-touch areas continually clean and disinfected. Staff can gain professional knowledge with these online janitorial training tests.

Lacking janitorial staffing

Concerned about a staffing shortage and whether you are using the right cleaning service for your school? It's not too late to find the perfect janitorial team that will score well in keeping schools safe. Look for solid custodian referrals and consult with System4 IPS. 

Which custodian or janitorial team is best for you? System4 IPS specializes in creating customized janitorial programs that meet the unique need of districts like yours!

If your child's school experiences a singular COVID-19 positive case or outbreak, call System4 IPS and schedule your disinfection service today. Our professional team listens to your needs, requirements, and timing. See our many satisfied customer testimonials and public Google ratings.