Coronavirus Update, September 29, 2020
Several Groton Junior-Senior High School teachers and students are in quarantine, following the news that a student at the school tested positive for COVID-19.
The Tompkins County Health Department confirmed the case on Monday, and notes that the student with novel coronavirus was not in school when they were symptomatic. Additionally, Groton Central School District Superintendent Margo Martin says the school's nightly disinfection is strong enough that they did not have to pause in-person learning.
According to the Ithaca voice, three teachers and a teacher's assistant are in isolation, but as of last night have not specified to the school district or public how many students are now in isolation.
The current single infection in GCSD is the first publicly reported COVID-19 case since the area’s fall school reopening efforts.
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Looking at the local COVID-19 caseload, the latest numbers, released Monday from the Tompkins County health department, indicate that there is 1 additional positive, and 3 new recoveries. According to the County Health Department, that leaves 16 active cases of COVID-19 in Tompkins.
In Schuyler County, there are no new cases of COVID-19 reported as of Tuesday, according to their Health Department. 1 active case remains.
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New York is seeing an uptick in positive COVID-19 cases in certain areas of the state, and Governor Cuomo is moving to install 200 rapid testing machines to those areas. An announcement by the Governor yesterday indicates that 27% of the positive tests reported on Sunday came from ten ZIP codes where just three percent of the state's population resides. Additionally, 37% of positive cases came from 20 cities and towns where just 6 percent of the state's population resides. Those locations include Brooklyn, Orange County, Rockland County and some areas in the Southern Tier.
Rapid testing machines have a 15 minute turn around for results. On Monday the state immediately began deploying Department of Health staff and rapid testing machines to the areas and local governments that are currently going without those resources.
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Beginning next week, The Mental Health Association in Tompkins County will offer limited internet use to people at the Jenkins Training & Education Center on South Geneva Street.
According to the Ithaca Times, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays,Wednesdays and Thursdays, the organization will allow visitors to use computers for an hour a day, by appointment only.
Visitors must complete a COVID-19 questionnaire and wear a provided surgical mask for the time spent on the computer and within the Center. All computers and work areas will be sanitized by a staff member after each use. Additionally, only one person per computer will be allowed, in order to maintain at least 6 feet of distance between users.
Anyone looking to utilize the center’s computers is asked to please call 607-277-7337 from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. on a Monday,Wednesday or Thursday to reserve a time slot.
The Jenkins Training and Education Center is located in Suite 110 at 301 South Geneva Street, in Ithaca.