No new COVID-19 cases have been found in tests of any students, teachers or other staff in the Darien school district, Superintendent Alan Addley reported to parents on Friday — but masks will still need to be worn in schools, he said.
State education and public health officials continue to mandate masks in schools, and Darien must follow their directives, Addley said in his regular email to parents and staff.
First Selectman Jayme Stevenson, in her regular COVID-19 Code Red message to the town, also noted the continued state mandate on masks for schools and also for municipal offices.
She also said that on May 19 the state was dropping any requirements for masking outdoors and mandates that businesses must require masks indoors.
“Masks must still be worn on public transportation, in doctor’s offices hospitals and nursing homes,” she said.
“The good news continues — only one new case has been reported in the two-week period since April 29,” Stevenson said. “Darien’s two-week positivity rate has declined to 0.08%. There have been a total of 1,519 cases from 955 unique households. Darien Public Schools report 0 active cases. 62% of age-eligible Darien residents have received at least 1 dose of vaccine.”
Full Text of Addley’s Message
Dear Families and Staff,
Good afternoon everyone. On Wednesday we celebrated National School Nurses’ Day across the district. This year in particular we extend our respect and admiration to our nurses who have been on the front lines combating COVID-19.
We thank our Director of Nursing, RNs and LPNs for volunteering countless hours of time and talents in the service to schools and the greater community. They have done a remarkable job through their daily care and compassion for students, contact tracing and in providing vaccination clinics for students, staff and the community.
As another week comes to a close we have no new COVID cases to report. As a result, we have been able to resume many of our end-of-year events. Thank you to everyone who is assisting our staff in planning these celebrations for our students.
The expansion of COVID vaccine to our students who are 12 years of age and older is another promising step toward ensuring the health and safety of our school community. We were happy to share information about vaccine clinics in our area and will continue to communicate future clinic information with our families as it becomes available.
Yesterday, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced that people who have been vaccinated do not have to wear masks or be physically distanced outdoors and in most indoor settings. A person is considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 two weeks after getting the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or two weeks after receiving the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. For Connecticut, this change is scheduled to start on Wednesday, May 19.
This is great news and represents a major step toward a return to normalcy for schools and the general public. Connecticut schools take direction from the CDC, the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) and The Connecticut Department of Public Health (CDPH).
Currently, people in school buildings are still required to wear masks and practice physical distancing. It is not unusual for the CSDE & CDPH to move more slowly in its decision-making or to maintain its requirements.
In yesterday’s press conference, Governor Lamont indicated that he expected that masks should be worn in school buildings through the remainder of this school year. For now, all students and staff will continue to wear masks inside the school buildings. We will continue to consult with our health professionals and await further direction from CSDE & CDPH early next week.
As we close out the school year safely, we have reason to do so with great optimism for the future and pride in our accomplishments in providing our students with a quality educational experience and in keeping each other safe throughout the pandemic.
Wishing you an enjoyable weekend,
Sincerely,
Dr. Alan Addley, Ed.D
Superintendent of Schools
Full Text of Stevenson’s Code Red Message
Good evening. This is First Selectman Jayme Stevenson with a COVID-19 update for Thursday, May 13.
The good news continues — only one new case has been reported in the two-week period since April 29. Darien’s two-week positivity rate has declined to 0.08%. There have been a total of 1,519 cases from 955 unique households. Darien Public Schools report 0 active cases. 62% of age-eligible Darien residents have received at least 1 dose of vaccine.
The Pfizer vaccine has been approved for children ages 12-15. Parent or guardian consent is required and a parent or guardian must accompany anyone aged 12-15 to the vaccine site.
Walgreens and Grieb’s in Darien and the Community Health Center site in Stamford have Pfizer vaccine. While appointments aren’t necessary, they are encouraged given the parental permissions needed and anticipated demand. You can find more information about all vaccines on the CDC’s website.
Darien Vaccine Clinics offering Modera and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will continue on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Appointments can be made but are no longer necessary. Don’t forget to schedule your second dose after getting your first. Everpoint testing will remain in operation for the foreseeable future. If you are sick, please get tested.
The CDC announced today that fully vaccinated people don’t need to wear a mask or physically distance during outdoor or indoor activities. Masks must still be worn on public transportation, in doctor’s offices hospitals and nursing homes.
Governor Lamont followed the CDC by announcing that beginning on May 19, all business restrictions will end, and outdoor masking will no longer be required.
Indoor masking will still be required for anyone who is unvaccinated. Masking for large events is still recommended. We are currently assessing what this means for town sponsored meetings and gatherings. Municipalities and schools in Connecticut are mandated to follow guidance provided by the Connecticut Department of Public Health and state Department of Education.
The Legislature has approved a further extension of Governor Lamont’s emergency powers until July 20. We still anticipate a number of COVID-19 related policies that make accessing government services and public engagement to become permanent via legislative action, and the Connecticut Department of Public Health will be issuing best-safety-practices for certain types of events.
You can find a vaccine provider here or by calling 1(877)918-2224. Local vaccine providers include Grieb’s Pharmacy, Walgreens, Stamford Hospital, Yale New Haven Health, Community Health Center, CVS and certain Stop & Shop pharmacies.
Statewide COVID-19 data can be found here, and Darien-specific data here. Please visit the CDC website for more COVID-19 information.
Thank you for all your efforts to keep yourself, your family and our community safe!
Thank you and good evening.