There is a tremendous amount of misinformation floating around on this topic:
Confusion has been exacerbated by the City School District of New Rochelle which has put out mixed, often contradictory messages over the past week.
On April 1, a message was sent only to Columbus School families that Principal Michael Galland had tested positive for COVID-19 that day, that the school would be closed temporarily as a food distribution location, that the workers at that location were sent home to isolate for 14 days, that based on WCDOH guidance anyone who was in contact with Galland on 3/26 and 3/30 should quarantine at home for 14 days.
Apparently little of this announcement was based on accurate information.
Galland reported to WCDOH that he became symptomatic on March 25 but went to work at Columbus on 3/26 and 3/30. He was tested and informed COVID-19 was detected in him on 4/1. By April 7, when he attended the Columbus Teacher Parade he met criteria for ending home quarantine – more than 7 days since he first became symptomatic (3/25), 3 days without a fever, and reduced respiratory problems.
None of this was explained in the announcement sent to the Columbus school community on 4/1 and there was never any follow up to say Galland was able to return to work. Due to this communications failure, many New Rochelle residents were unnecessarily outraged when Michael Galland turned up leading the Columbus teachers parade on April 7th.
Columbus is a citywide distribution location for anyone 18 and under. It undoubtedly has clients from Jefferson, Webster, Isaac, New Rochelle High School and private schools like Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Saints John and Paul and others. So why was citywide notification not made? Why not a press release to media outlets?
The announcement yesterday that a worker tested positive at New Rochelle High School, was made to the entire school district community but no press release was sent to the media.
By contrast, an obsequious, self-congratulatory press release about “fixing” the problem at the kitchen at New Rochelle High School — a problem District leadership created in the first place — was sent to all media outlets.
We refuse to publish a press release that ignores the failures that disrupted food distribution for thousands of people, and put the health and safety of dozens of employees at risk, but goes to great lengths to celebrate certain personalities for a food donation made by a grocery store chain. The press release is another example of coronavirus response being turned into a marketing opportunity for businesses and for self-promotion of current and prospective candidates for elective office.
While the District spent much of the day collecting quotes for its self-congratulatory press release, it put out four different, confusing and contradictory statements on the fate of 36 employees.
At 6:04 am, Dr Feijóo said:
“…kitchen staff will be rotated so that no one who worked in the kitchen during the last week will be there.”
At 5:46 pm, the obsequious press release said:
“Thirty-five others who were potentially exposed were instructed to self-quarantine for two weeks.”
At 6:46 pm, a correction to the obsequious press release said:
“Thirty-five others who were potentially exposed to the employee who tested positive.”
At 6:46 pm, a correction to the obsequious press release also said:
“…the employees – other than the one who tested positive – may return to work.”
As of Wednesday morning, 35 presumably frightened employees were told not to report to work because one of their co-workers had tested positive for COVID-19. The District said these employees were instructed to self-quarantine at home. So, when did this change? When were these employees told they must return to work on Thursday?
Asked to explain the ever-shifting narrative, a school district spokesperson said last night that after the press release was sent at 5:46 pm the District received “new guidance” that the kitchen workers did not need to self-quarantine at home and could return to work.
What “new guidance” would that be?
We sent an email to Westchester County Executive George Latimer seeking clarification. We have yet to receive a reply.
We checked the WCDOH website.
The current WCDOH Advisory on essential workers is dated 3/31. There is no “new guidance” from WCDOH and certainly none published between 5:46 pm and 6:46 pm last night. And none of this explains why workers at Columbus were sent for 14 days on 4/1. When asked, the schools spokesperson did not know if the Columbus workers who had been self-quarantined at home for the past week, apparently unnecessarily, would now be returning to work.