Weekly COVID-19 Update
January 14, 2022

On January 11, 2022, the Westchester County Department of Health adopted the updated New York State Department of Health and the Center for Disease Control’s recommendation to shorten the duration of isolation and quarantine related to COVID-19.  When students return from isolation following a positive test, they must complete the End of Isolation Reporting Form.  For more information, CLICK HERE.  More updated information will be shared soon.

Harrison has also advocated for changes to COVID-19 protocols, including making weekly PCR testing more widely available, changing contact tracing requirements, developing metrics that will eventually eliminate the mask requirement, and increasing the availability of vaccines and boosters for students.  To read the letter endorsed by the Lower Hudson Council of School Superintendents, CLICK HERE.

Through our testing partnership with Mount Sinai Hospital, the District conducted 969 PCR saliva tests for students, faculty and staff who provided consent.  This gateway testing, which occurred the week of January 3 following the holiday break, identified 108 positive cases or a 11% positivity rate, which is below the Westchester County 14-day average positivity rate of 15%.

The District will continue to provide COVID-19 testing to students, faculty and staff as one of several mitigation strategies to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and keep schools open for in-person learning.

Since the last update on 12/23/21, 458 students and 78 faculty/staff have reported positive test results on lab-confirmed or home tests.  Going forward, updated COVID-19 data can be found on the NYS COVID-19 Report Card, including lab-confirmed positive cases for students, faculty and staff in each school.  To access this information:

1. Go to NYS COVID-19 Report Card
2. Click on "Public Schools"
3. Type in "Harrison"
4. Click on the links for each school

Related Information:

• COVID-19 Positivity Data for Westchester County

The Harrison Central School District Test to Stay (TTS) program operates under Westchester County's limited services laboratory license.  The TTS program permits unvaccinated, asymptomatic students who have been exposed to COVID-19 to remain in school by getting tested each school day during the first five (5) days of the quarantine.  Click here to learn more about the HCSD TTS Program.  The TTS program was recently modified to include the following changes:

• If an unvaccinated, asymptomatic student is identified during the school days as having been exposed to COVID-19, the student will be sent home and a notification will be sent to the parent/guardian, and the school will confirm that we have received consent for the student to participate in the TTS program.  The next school day, students may return to school to participate in the TTS program.     
• Testing associated with  the TTS program will only occur before the start of the school day.  If parents cannot bring their children for testing before the start of the school day, they will remain home in quarantine and may participate in virtual learning.  Students may return the following school day to resume TTS.
• The TTS program requires a licensed nurse to administer the COVID-19 test to students at school.  Due to staffing shortages associated with the pandemic, it may be necessary to postpone the TTS program in a school on a temporary basis.  If this occurs, parents will be notified and students will remain home in quarantine and may participate in virtual learning until the TTS program resumes.

When individuals are vaccinated against COVID-19, they help to reduce the risk of transmission in school and avoid having to quarantine following exposure to a positive person.   Since all students are now eligible for the vaccine,  the District is renewing the request for parents to voluntarily provide proof of their child's vaccination by completing this HIPAA-protected COVID-19 Vaccination Survey.