WATERTOWN â No COVID-19 testing requirements are in place for tri-county area schools yet, and although no local districts fall within a âyellow zoneâ territory, districts across the region are planning ahead.
If a geographic area is deemed a yellow zone, the state Department of Health has made it mandatory for schools open for in-person learning to test 20% of students, teachers and staff at least once a week for as long as the school remains in a yellow zone. If the 20% tested reveal a positivity rate lower than that of the yellow zone, testing can stop, but if the testing reveals a positivity rate higher than the zone, testing will continue every two weeks.
WATERTOWN â After nearly two weeks of administering COVID-19 vaccines, the Jefferson County Public Health Service has only administered 290 doses â far fewer than officials hoped for.
Scott A. Gray, chairman of the Jefferson County Board of Legislators, says the service hasnât received even close to the number of doses promised by the state Department of Health, and Jefferson County has not been asked to host a state clinic, like St. Lawrence County.
Jefferson County, initially promised 1,000 doses, has received 100, just 10% of what was expected, and with the nearest state vaccination sites all more than an hour away, there seems to have been no attempt by the state Department of Health to open a vaccination center in the county.
The Jefferson County Public Health Service is canceling COVID-19 vaccination clinics scheduled for this Wednesday and Thursday. Officials say the shipment of vaccine won t arrive in time.
WATERTOWN — A sharp increase in the number of COVID-19 cases within the Watertown City School District has prompted the district to shift to a fully remote learning model for
WATERTOWN â A sharp increase in the number of COVID-19 cases within the Watertown City School District has prompted the district to shift to a fully remote learning model for the next three weeks.
In a letter to the school community Friday afternoon, Superintendent Patricia B. LaBarr confirmed the district had to make the âdifficultâ decision to shift to its remote learning plan, which will begin Monday and go through Jan. 29.
âThe decision to close school was not made lightly,â she said. âWatertown has decided that closing school for all students was a necessary precaution to prevent further spread of COVID-19 throughout our District and community.â