19 NYC School Employees Test Positive For Coronavirus

NEW YORK CITY — At least 19 New York City school employees tested positive for coronavirus in teachers' first week back to classrooms, officials said.

Murmurs about COVID-19 cases in city schools spread for at least a day before education officials confirmed the rumors Friday afternoon.

A Bronx school — P.S. 811X The Academy for Career and Living Skill — will be closed for at least 24 hours under a safety protocol triggered by two confirmed cases within the building, officials said.

Other schools had a single employee each test positive for the virus, bringing the total of buildings affected to 18.

“As we get ready for in-person learning, we’ll stop at nothing to ensure principals, teachers and school staff have the protections they need to stay safe and prepare for the school year," said Miranda Barbot, a city schools spokesperson, in a statement. "While we continue to navigate the realities of a pandemic, there will be positive cases—we are putting people’s health above everything else by quickly identifying and isolating positive cases, which is a leading effort to prevent transmission."

Barbot didn't provide a list of buildings affected, despite Patch's request.

Teachers and many school staff returned to buildings and classrooms this week to prepare for the return of in-person classes on Sept. 21.

The return to classrooms during the coronavirus is unprecedented for school district the size of New York City's, and hasn't been without controversy or safety concerns.

Those concerns simmered all week as some teachers union members spread word about positive coronavirus cases.

The Movement of Rank and File Educators, a branch of the United Federation of Teachers, raised particularly vocal concerns online.

"#notuntilitssafe," the group affixed to a tweet about the positive COVID-19 cases.

Teachers, staff and students face random coronavirus tests under an agreement between the city and educator unions. Those random tests — which begin Oct. 1 — fall short of the mass mandatory tests MOVE-UFT and other educators called for.

About 15,000 school staff have so far taken advantage of offers for free expedited tests, DOE officials said.

Parents and staff who want to check COVID-19 cases in their schools can check a new "COVID Report Card" unveiled by the state this week. The online dashboard collects testing data from multiple sources and updates data, including positive tests, daily.