As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, and winter starts sending people indoors more, the predicted increase in cases has happened, including in children. According to a report released by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the number of children infected by COVID-19 used to average 16.9% of total cumulated cases. For the week ending November 18, that percentage rose to 25.1%

From American Academy of Pediatrics 11/18/2021:

As of November 18, almost 6.8 million children have tested positive for COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic. This week nearly 142,000 child cases were added, an increase of about 32% from two weeks ago. Child cases have declined since a peak of 252,000 the week of September 2nd, but COVID cases among children remain extremely high. For the 15th week in a row child COVID-19 cases are above 100,000. Since the first week of September, there have been over 1.7 million additional child cases.

The age distribution of reported COVID-19 cases was provided on the health department websites of 49 states, New York City, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam. Since the pandemic began, children represented 16.9% of total cumulated cases. For the week ending November 18, children were 25.1% of reported weekly COVID-19 cases (children, under age 18, make up 22.2% of the US population).

In Beacon, that increase seemed to correlate. As with other schools in other districts and states, parents receive emails from the districts stating if there are new confirmed cases in which schools. The Beacon City School District (BCSD) Matt Landahl emailed parents each day - sometimes twice a day - that new cases were confirmed to be within the district. In each email, he specified the number of confirmed cases within each school, and that individuals have been or will be notified to quarantine. Beacon has 4 elementary schools, 1 middle and 1 high school.

In mid-November, the number of confirmed cases in the BCSD increased. The list of dates and confirmed cases has been posted in this article to the right, which are based on confirmed case notification emails from Dr. Landahl. These show that on November 16, numbers of confirmed cases were doubling.

UPDATE 12/2/2021: A sentence in the above paragraph has been edited to just say “confirmed cases.” Dr. Landahl sends the number of confirmed cases, which could be children or adult staff working in the school buildings.

On Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving (November 22nd and 23rd, 2021) the there was a district-wide early dismissal for parent/teacher conferences. Thanksgiving break began on Wednesday, November 24th. Everyone will return on Monday November 29th, 2021.

Vaccination Clinic Hosted By BCSD A Success

Days after the vaccination for kids ages 5-11 was approved, the BCSD organized a vaccination clinic in order to provide easy access to parents and children in a familiar environment: the Beacon High School. Organized by Deputy Superintendent Ann Marie Quartironi in partnership with Village Apothecary who administered the shots (see the Village Apothecary’s list of upcoming vaccination clinics).

In terms of shots administered at those clinics, Dr. Landahl shared data with ALBB that over the course of both clinics (November 9th and 10th): 278 pediatric doses were given, and 106 boosters were given.

Another BCSD hosted vaccination clinic is not scheduled yet, but several other regular locations are available to people, including Walmart in Fishkill, Drug World in Cold Spring, and others. Visit Vaccines.gov to find locations by zip code and schedule an appointment. Insurance is not needed, but may be asked for, but is not required.

CONFIRMED CASES IN THE BEACON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT (BCSD) IN OCTOBER & NOVEMBER 2021
October 1
1 confirmed case

October 4
2 confirmed cases

October 5
1 confirmed case

October 6
2 confirmed cases

October 7
2 confirmed cases

October 12
2 confirmed cases

October 15
2 confirmed cases

October 16
3 confirmed cases

October 19
1 case

October 23
1 confirmed case

November 12
2 confirmed cases

November 12
1 confirmed case

November 16
2 confirmed cases

November 16
6 confirmed cases

November 17
3 confirmed cases

November 19
7 confirmed cases

November 19
7 confirmed cases

November 22
7 confirmed cases

Easy Vaccination Appointment-Finder

New York’s Governor Kathy Hochul is recommending for people to use Vaccines.gov, which has an easy-to-use vaccination finder for all age groups and brands of COVID-19 vaccination.

If people would like schools and businesses to stay open, then those people should get vaccinated, and boosted. Expect to get boosted on the regular.

The Beacon City School District has guidelines in place to keep kids and staff safe while in school together, and sends notifications quickly when vaccination clinics are available nearby, in addition to what can be found at Vaccines.gov.

So far for the 2021/2022 school year, the district has not closed any schools in the name of mass quarantining, and instead works diligently to contact trace individuals who may have been in contact with those who tested positive for COVID-19. Those people go into their own quarantine schedule.

The New Omicron COVID-19 Variant

On the Friday after Thanksgiving, a new variant emerging in South Africa was declared to be of concern as it is studied. It is has been named Omicron. Part of why Omicron is of concern is because of how many other mutations it produces. Watch the video below from the a South African epidemiologist, Salim Abdool Karim as he explains how Omicron works, as they know it so far.

Governor Hochul has declared a State of Emergency in New York State in preparation for Omicron to come to this state, which for the “surge and flex system” to go into effect, which can halt or limit non-essential or non-urgent hospital procedures.

Governor Hochul said: "The vaccine remains one of our greatest weapons in fighting the pandemic, and I encourage every New Yorker to get vaccinated, and get the booster if you're fully vaccinated."