Dear LS Students, Families, and Staff,
Today’s update includes several new cases reported over the weekend: three students and two staff. Contact tracing is in process. We have had 28 cases total this school year. More than half have been within the last two weeks. We are clearly being impacted by increases in reported cases as part of an overall local and national trend.
Today’s report includes an individual in our community who is immunologically compromised. This underscores that what we do to take care to minimize the spread of infection is for the benefit of ourselves and others. Please take special care to utilize any tools and practices available to you to mitigate the spread of COVID infection. This includes mask wearing, vaccination if possible, social distancing where possible, frequent hand washing, monitoring one’s symptoms and testing when appropriate.
LS Vaccination Status:
Students 1384/1512 = 91.53%
Staff 233/234 = 99.57%
Vaccinated to Unvaccinated positive case comparison is 18 to 10. See attached pdf for charts to illustrate how this relates to our LS school population. The incidence of unvaccinated individuals has been 7 times higher than for vaccinated individuals. The 2021-22 LS COVID Case Summary can be found at this link which is also now on our school website: Link to COVID dashboard
Please note that one is considered a close contact of positive case if one is within 3 feet of the person for more than 15 minutes within a 24-hour period when both individuals are wearing masks. One is considered a close contact of positive case if one is within 6 feet of the person for more than 15 minutes within a 24-hour period when both individuals are not wearing masks. Close contacts that are vaccinated and not symptomatic are not required to quarantine. Close contacts that are not vaccinated and close contacts that are vaccinated and symptomatic are required to quarantine.
Here again is the link to sign up for a time slot to be vaccinated at the LS clinic scheduled for January 4, 8 am to 1 pm. What will be available is the adult (12+) dose of Pfizer for 1st/2nd/Booster shot. This includes the 16+ population for those boosters, as long as it's been 6 months since the second dose. The clinic will also offer Moderna for boosters only. Additonal slots for booster shots was added last week.
https://home.color.com/vaccine/register/transformativehealth?calendar=5c9a9578-e791-4b2b-bd51-54acffdaa316
Note, that after receiving a shot you must stay seated for observation 15 minutes after. The clinic will be held in the LS auditorium.
A follow up clinic will be scheduled with availability of second doses dependent on the number of individuals who will need a second dose for full vaccination.
Here is also a link to how one can schedule a time for vaccination and or booster at other sites www.mass.gov.
Pool test participation numbers
10/7 447 11/4 360 12/1 508
10/14 415 11/10 375 12/8 346
10/21 424 11/17 332 12/15 363
10/28 361 11/24 No testing 12/22 Next Test Date
THERE WILL BE NO POOL TESTING OVER DECEMBER BREAK!
Here are the links to sign up if you are not currently enrolled.
For student pool testing:
https://pbcovid.cic-health.com/register/with-code?code=YEDCEF
For adult and staff pool testing:
https://pbcovid.cic-health.com/register/with-code?code=JDOTQA
Here is the link to our current COVID mitigation protocols.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/19ouwcmmai5DVOBJtV_YGBcQhS-W8ctOR3ElDvt6cGCY/edit?usp=sharing
Mask wearing is required for all indoor public spaces in the Town of Sudbury. I do not anticipate a change in the current in school mask requirement before January. MIAA is requiring mask wearing for winter indoor athletics.
Thank you for all for taking care with your own health as well as being mindful of the health of others.
Sincerely,
Bella Wong