De Blasio says NYC schools ‘can and should’ be kept open amid low coronavirus positivity rate

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday that public schools in New York “can and should” be kept open since they were partially reopened earlier this month. He announced that recent tests show only a coronavirus positivity rate of 0.68 percent in schools.

De Blasio said that between December 7 and 23, nearly 100,000 tests were taken by students and staff, and the rate was 0.68 percent.

“Look at the incredible success we’ve had in our schools, and keep them safe,” Hizzoner said. “Clearly, public schools in New York are one of the safest places in New York City.”

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The Big Apple struggled to fully open its schools, and partially opened it at the beginning of the school year to teach students a few days a week in person.

It then closed them again in November amid an increase in business in the city, before being partially reopened in December after great pressure from parents. Although the opening of the city is significantly less than that opened in Europe and other parts of America, where schools have fully opened, it is a success compared to a number of large cities that have adhered to a 100% distance education schedule .

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However, both de Blasio and the New York government, Andrew Cuomo, have warned that a new shutdown could come within days amid statistics above the desired criteria of NYC, which raises questions about whether schools can be re-locked.

De Blasio said it depends on Albany, but he believes schools can be kept open.

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“I am confident that we can and must keep it, but again, the state will make the final decision based on state data and state standards,” he said.

Indicators suggested Tuesday that a shutdown is still a possibility. The city had 182 new hospitalizations, below the 200 metric, but the 3,390 positive or suspected cases and 7.45 percent positivity (on an average of seven days) are higher than the city’s thresholds.

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