Putnam Clarifies Health Department Role In School Reopening

PUTNAM COUNTY, NY — The county health department does not make the rules on the coronavirus and schools, Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell said in a statement to the media Friday.

"There has been a lot of confusion regarding who is making the decisions about whether children are in school full time, on a hybrid schedule or fully remote," she said. “We want to be clear: the school districts in Putnam County make their own decisions based on guidance issued by the New York State Department of Health."

Throughout the pandemic, the county health department’s role has remained consistent, she said: to interpret guidance, recommend mitigation efforts, issue mandatory orders of isolation of infected individuals, identify contacts and issue associated orders of quarantine.

"This statement is great to see," said parent Jamie Callanan, one of the leaders of Reopen Putnam Schools, which argues that health officials have been far too restrictive in their quarantine orders, forcing children to missed school needlessly when classrooms or buildings have closed due to quarantines or quarantine-instigated staff shortages.

"Finally, we have confirmation that Putnam DOH does not have jurisdiction over our schools reopening, despite the previous authoritative position they have taken with our districts," she told Patch. "Now they need to follow the leadership of Westchester and Dutchess DOHs with revising the quarantine guidelines that help keep our returning kids in school, where they are safe!"

Odell said county health officials are not involved in return-to-school plans the school districts develop. Rather, the districts each have committees made up of local stakeholders that consider their best options. Each plan must adhere to state and CDC requirements regarding in-person learning and standards for the reduction of the risk of transmission of this virus. Each district’s plan must be submitted to the state.

She noted that the New York chapters of the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement this week saying that too many children have fallen behind and urging immediate school reopening based on scientific and epidemiological evidence, with frequent rapid testing of students and staff, and appropriate mitigation.

"A statewide approach would eliminate the confusion we see in the community and would put every district on the same playing field," said Michael J. Nesheiwat, MD, Putnam County Commissioner of Health.

The NYSAAP called for schools to be treated as essential services, and be made the first to reopen following improvement in a community’s disease data, the NYSAAP statement said.

"After a year of the pandemic, we need to get students back in the classroom,” Putnam Legislator Joseph Castellano said as part of the county's statement. “We need the state to update their guidelines and help us get kids back to school now."

SEE ALSO:

• Lakeland Sets Date For Return To In-Classroom Instruction
  
• Politicians Join Parents Demanding Hudson Valley Schools Reopen
• Under Pressure, Putnam Seeks Guidance On School Reopening
• Districts Deliberate As Pressure To Reopen Schools Rises
• Parents Group Calls For Reopening Schools In Putnam County