The updated guidance for the upcoming school year also eases some protocols — such as exempting random in-school testing — but keeps other vaccine-related requirements in place. Children who don’t have the jab will continue to be on the sidelines during some extracurricular activities, including high school sports, and visitors to the school — including parents — will have to show proof of a shot of the vaccine to enter the building. . “Many high-risk extracurricular activities are performed indoors, are strenuous and involve closer contact than classroom activities,” said Michael Lanza, a spokesman for the city’s health department. “The guidance is meant to keep kids safe both in the classroom and in these after-school activities,” she said. The updated guidance for the upcoming school year also eases some protocols, such as eliminating random in-school testing.AP About 43 percent of children under 17 are fully vaccinated, according to city data. Less than half of primary school children have received both doses. Some of the activities affected by the requirement include sports, choir and band, musical theater and dance, cheerleading and club step. Coach George Lanese, the co-founder of About-U Outreach, which uses sports to help kids focus on academics and careers, questioned the fairness of continuing the policy. “Kyrie Irving was cleared to play,” Lanese said of the schools’ approach, compared to the rules for professional athletes. “We make exceptions for people who make money.” Unvaccinated children should continue to sit on the sidelines during certain extracurricular activities, including high school sports. Matthew McDermott Students have never been required to be vaccinated to attend classes, but all DOE employees must show proof of vaccination. Nearly 1,000 school workers have been fired for refusing to comply with the order – although 82 teachers suspected of submitting false evidence were recently put back on the payroll pending an internal investigation. “Vaccination remains the single best protection against serious illness caused by COVID-19,” Lanza said. At the same time, officials are phasing out follow-up PCR tests for random groups in schools. Laboratory PCR test results are considered by public health experts to be more reliable than rapid test results. “Abolishing school testing means we’re not going to catch asymptomatic people,” said Kaliris Salas-Ramirez, the Manhattan mayor’s representative to the Education Policy Committee and a neuroscientist. As a parent, Salas-Ramirez said the guidance doesn’t go far enough to make her feel her children are safe at school. “Especially with an 11-year-old who hasn’t gotten COVID yet and a 3-year-old who got COVID six months ago and just got vaccinated, it’s still possible for him to have reinfection and it could be severe,” he said. The guidance stated that students and staff exposed to COVID-19 should be tested, but did not require it. The schools said to send them home with two tests to be given four and five days after the exposure. About 43% of children under 17 are fully vaccinated. Fewer than half of elementary school children have received both doses.AP Students and staff are “strongly advised” to wear masks after exposure, although this is not required. Masks are still mandatory for those who test positive for COVID-19 when they return to school until 10 days after the onset of symptoms or the first positive test. The city lifted the mask mandate in the spring — while the now-defunct health inspectors asked students and families to make sure they were free of symptoms, from a fever to a cough or sore throat. He also asked about positive results and close contacts in the last five days. But Queens parent Jean Hahn was still worried about the latest orders as her daughter — a dancer — enters sixth grade. “It will make it harder for her to meet other kids and make friends at her school,” Hahn said. The Ministry of Education referred questions about the policies to health officials.
