The City School District of Albany was notified Tuesday of seven new confirmed cases of COVID-19. Cases in which the Albany County Health Department has identified additional contacts are noted below. All positive individuals and any associated unvaccinated contacts are quarantining at home.
Please be aware that every home in the United States is eligible to order four free at-home COVID-19 tests. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days.
One case is associated with Albany High School, and the person was last in school Feb. 3.
One case is associated with fifth grade at Giffen Memorial Elementary School, and the person was last in school Feb. 8. The health department identified six additional contacts; two are vaccinated and not required to quarantine.
Three cases are associated with Philip Schuyler Achievement Academy.
- One case involves prekindergarten, and the person was last in school Feb. 7. The health department identified 13 additional contacts who are in quarantine.
- Two cases involve people who were last in school Feb. 3. One case is associated with kindergarten, and the health department identified four additional contacts who are in quarantine. The other case involves fourth grade, and the health department identified eight additional contacts who are in quarantine.
One case is associated with kindergarten at Pine Hills Elementary School, and the person was last in school Feb. 7. The health department identified six additional contacts; three are vaccinated and not required to quarantine.
Tuesday’s seventh and final case is associated with sixth grade at William S. Hackett Middle School. The person was last in school Feb. 2.
Health and safety procedures at all district buildings continue to include cleaning and sanitizing. We will continue with these procedures, and also will continue to follow all required COVID-19 precautions (wearing masks inside all district buildings, hand hygiene, social distancing of 3 feet or more in all classrooms, and other precautions).
We also would like to remind everyone of steps you can take to help be safe:
- Maintain social distance at all times from those you don’t live with.
- Always wear a mask that covers both the mouth and nose when inside at school or when your student is riding a bus to or from school.
- Wash hands with soap and water frequently when out of your home. If you cannot use soap and water, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Don’t touch the eyes, nose or mouth unless your hands are clean.
- DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL WHEN THEY ARE SICK OR HAVE SYMPTOMS:
- Signs of COVID-19 are fever, fatigue/tiredness, muscle/body aches or pains, congestion, cough, runny nose, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, nausea/vomiting or diarrhea, headache, loss of taste or smell, rash, feeling sick or unwell in any way.
- You can find resources here:
- You can pick up a COVID-19 rapid test kit at your school, and the district accepts at-home rapid test results as well.
- You can get an in-person COVID-19 PCR test at two district locations. Click here to find the location most convenient for you.
- You also can get a COVID-19 PCR test by calling the New York State Department of Health COVID-19 Hotline at (888) 364-3065, or Whitney M. Young Jr. Health Center at (518) 407-0172 or (518) 465-4771.
- In alignment with the recommendations of federal, state and local health and medical professionals, the district strongly encourages everyone 5 and older who is eligible and able to get a COVID-19 vaccination.
- You can find information about COVID-19 vaccinations on the Albany County Health Department website:
