COVID-19 Update for Erie County Schools

6/2/2021

COVID-19 Update for
Erie County Schools
 GALE R. BURSTEIN, MD, MPH, FAAP
 ERIE COUNTY COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH

 The information presented here is current as of today’s date unless
 otherwise noted. All data are provisional. For the latest information,
 reference links within the presentation or visit www.erie.gov/covid19

Housekeeping

▸Welcome to WebEx!
▸During Q&A period, please use the chat
 feature – on computer screens, bottom
 right of screen

▸Questions after the event? Send to
 kara.kane@erie.gov or call (716) 858-4941

                                                                                1

6/2/2021

Agenda

▸COVID-19 Update and Case Rates
▸CDC Funding for NYS Schools
   ▸Support COVID-19 testing in schools, 2021-
    2022 school year
   ▸Coordinated through local health departments
    for all public, private and charter schools
▸ECDOH Pfizer clinics for youth ages 12-18
▸Questions & Answers

Erie County COVID-19
Case Data Summary

10-49 new cases per 100,000, past 7 days is
considered “moderate transmission” by CDC

                                                         2

6/2/2021

Erie County, School Cases
Students and School Staff

CDC Funding for
School Reopening

OPPORTUNITY TO HELP KEEP STUDENTS
LEARNING IN-PERSON

                                          3

6/2/2021

CDC ELC (Epidemiology and
Laboratory Capacity) Funding
▸HHS/CDC funding states to establish school
 COVID-19 screening/testing programs as part
 of reopening plan
  ▸Goal: to support and maintain in-person
   learning for all K-12 students (including public,
   private, BOCES & charter schools).
▸NYS plans to sub-award to Local Health
 Departments (LHDs) to support school testing
  ▸Direct funding for school testing
  ▸Administrative costs for LHDs

NYSDOH Responsibilities
▸Develop policy for 2021-22 school year COVID-
 19 testing requirements
  ▸Currently none
▸Provide technical assistance
▸Maintain public-facing dashboard with COVID-
 19 related school data
▸Develop COVID-19 school-based testing toolkit
▸Create adaptable school resources
  ▸Standardized parental consent template, FAQs, a
   readiness checklist, demonstration videos,
   informational materials and educational
   campaign

                                                             4

6/2/2021

ECDOH Responsibilities
▸Conduct needs assessment
▸Develop a testing implementation plan
  ▸Shared decision making
▸Facilitate access to testing related resources
 identified in needs assessment
▸Provide technical assistance
▸Administer program
▸Liaison with NYSDOH

School Responsibility:
Participate in Needs Assessment
▸ECDOH developed a needs assessment
 form for Erie County districts and
 schools
▸ECDOH will distribute to school leaders
 via email
▸Please submit by COB Friday, June 4 –
 one form per school district and one
 form per private or charter school

                                                        5

6/2/2021

Needs assessment
▸NYSDOH workplan requirement for
 funded LHDs
▸ECDOH will collect and compile results
  ▸School testing plan
  ▸Needed resources
▸ECDOH will build a workplan and
 budget

COVID-19 Testing
• CDC RECOMMENDATIONS
• NYSDOH RECOMMENDATIONS
• COVID-19 TESTING

                                                6

6/2/2021

                                                                                                             CDC

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/operation-strategy.html#anchor_1616080121423

       No current NYS school
       testing requirements

                                                                                                                         7

6/2/2021

ECDOH COVID-19 Laboratory
Testing Support
▸PCR test
  ▸Superior performance over antigen test
  ▸Keep testing local: ECDOH public health lab
▸Also offer Influenza testing as part of
 combo COVID/FLU test
  ▸Diagnostic: test symptomatic individuals

COVID-19 Vaccine
Outreach

 OPPORTUNITY TO HELP KEEP
 STUDENTS LEARNING IN-PERSON

                                                       8

6/2/2021

ECDOH COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics
▸First-dose Pfizer - students ages 12-18;
 Single-dose J&J – adults 18 and older
  ▸6/3: Hamburg HS
  ▸6/3: Tonawanda City HS
  ▸6/4: West Seneca East HS
  ▸6/4: 608 William Street (Jesse Nash Health
   Center)
  ▸6/5: West Hertel Academy, Buffalo
  ▸6/8: Akron Central School
▸Plan to continue outreach when age
 eligibility expands

Vax Visits
Available to all eligible Erie County residents
▸A “Vax Visit” team will come to your home to
 vaccinate you or your household.
▸Call (716) 858-2929
 to schedule.
▸Vaccinations provided
 by home nursing agencies
 or ECDOH staff.
▸No cost.

                                                        9

6/2/2021

Erie County Resources
▸www.erie.gov/covid19
  ▸COVID-19 Info Line: (716) 858-2929
▸www.erie.gov/vax
  ▸Full schedule of ECDOH clinics
▸www.erie.gov/covidmap
  ▸Data visualization: case counts, ZIP code and
   municipality maps
▸www.erie.gov/covidtestsites
  ▸Searchable map of diagnostic test locations

How to Stay Updated

▸Social media
  ▸Twitter (@ECDOH)
  ▸Facebook (Erie County Department of
   Health)
  ▸Instagram (@eriecohealth)
  ▸Erie County, NY Youtube Channel
   www.youtube.com/eriecountyny
▸Web site: www.erie.gov/covid19

                                                        10

6/2/2021

Questions & Answers

                           11