LYNN — At a School Committee meeting, LPS Director of Nursing Deborah Tanzer and Assistant Director of Nursing Jacqueline Westrin presented the current public-school COVD statistics, noting a number of negatives ― negative COVID-19 test results, that is.
The district’s nursing team said that they were happy with the low numbers of COVID-19 positives and the high numbers of vaccines given since their last presentation to the School Committee.
“Overall, our numbers look really good,” said Tanzer.
Only 29 members of both the faculty and the student body have tested positive for COVID-19, according to data published on Oct. 14. The percentage of COVID-19-positive results in the city’s school system is below one hundredth of a percent, given the total healthy population. Statewide, as of Oct. 14, .23 percent of students and teachers tested positive.
The new concern is with getting students vaccinated as they become part of the 12-and-older population able to receive the vaccine.
“The percentage of students in both getting the first dose of the vaccine and getting fully vaccinated has gone up one percent since last week,” said Westrin in the Thursday meeting.
Tanzer and Westrin both expressed concern about continuing that trend and getting more students vaccinated. One suggestion they had was to send students home with an informative flier about the vaccines. School Committee member Brian Castellanos mentioned coming up with a social media campaign to raise awareness.
“Each week (the vaccination rate) goes up in a significant way, and I think that’s going to slow down,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Patrick Tutwiler said. “To reach those people who are fearful won’t happen through social media or fliers.”
The committee decided to table discussion on raising awareness about the vaccine to a future date.
Katelyn Sahagian can be reached at [email protected].
