Infectious Disease Specialist: “Opening schools would be folly. It would be crazy”
By John T. Ryan
Plattsburgh – Reacting to the rapid spread of the coronavirus, Governor Andrew Cuomo issued an Executive Order closing New York State schools through May 15th. They could potentially reopen on May 18th. At the April 24th Clinton County Health Department COVID-19 briefing Dr. Wooter Reitsema, CVPH Vice-President of Population and Information Services and an infectious disease specialist offered his personal opinion on whether or not schools should reopen. He emphasized he was not speaking for CVPH.
He stated, “Opening schools would be folly. It would be crazy, not just to the safety of the children and staff, but to the safety of everybody at home who the children come home to. Some of those people work in essential services and hospitals. We will eventually have to reopen schools while COVID-19 is still circulating. We will also by that time have a lot more data, a lot more science, a lot more rapid testing capacity where we can do real-time rapid testing We will be better prepared. We are not yet prepared. As good of a job as the Health Department is doing with contact tracing, as good of a job as CVPH is starting to do with testing we are not prepared for that as a community. We will see a surge in this community if we reopen schools. That’s my personal opinion I do not say that on behalf of CVPH, but I think many at CVPH would share that opinion.”
Immediately prior to Dr. Reitsema’s remarks Dr. Mark Davey, Champlain Valley District Superintendent of Schools, said Governor Cuomo’s instructions are being followed at this time, but local superintendents are having continuous conversations on the reopening issue always keeping the safety of students, staff and the community in mind.
Posted: April 25th, 2020 under County Government News, Education News, Heathcare News, Northern NY News.