The data and research behind state decision to keep Delaware schools open Natalia Alamdari, Delaware News Journal If you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, health officials have answers Replay Video UP NEXT For months, Gov. John Carney and state health officials have repeated that schools are safe, and COVID-19 is highly unlikely to spread within school buildings with proper mitigation efforts. As cases continue to climb throughout the state, schools will naturally see an increased number of positive cases, said Paul Silverman, associate deputy director for the Division of Public Health. “The question is,” he said, “does that mean that the virus is being transmitted within the school setting?”