Wayland Now Releasing School Coronavirus Case Data

WAYLAND, MA — The Wayland Board of Health is now publicizing numbers on coronavirus cases in local public schools, a new addition to its weekly report on cases in town.

On Friday, the town reported 10 new cases had been detected since Nov. 6. There have also been seven positive cases in local schools, including three at the high school, two at Claypit Elementary, and one each at the middle school and Happy Hollow Elementary.

There have also been two school staff who have tested positive: one working remotely at Loker Elementary, and one at the high school.

The town is also reporting the number of students and teachers who have had "close contact" with someone who tested positive. Thirty-one students have had a close contact inside a school, and 12 have had a close contact outside of school. Four staff have had a close contact while in a school building, according to the data.

The high school and middle school switched to remote classes recently after positive student tests, but the district is still proceeding with a hybrid teaching model.

Wayland has had a relatively low rate of coronavirus infections since the start of the pandemic. However, a weekly report from the state Department of Public Health shows cases on the rise locally. Wayland was adding 9.3 new cases per day per 100,000 people as of Nov. 12, and the positive test rate was also rising. Nearby towns like Natick and Sudbury were adding 7.3 and 4.4 cases per 100,000, respectively.

Wayland has had 156 cases since March with 19 deaths overall.