District supports county advisory on masks indoors

Due to the significant rise in new COVID-19 cases among City School District of Albany employees and students over the past week, the district is strongly encouraging everyone to wear masks inside all buildings.

Mask-wearing indoors remains optional in New York. However, the Albany County Health Department issued a public health advisory earlier this week strongly recommending all residents to wear masks in indoor public spaces. The district is aligning with that recommendation during the current COVID-19 surge.

The district has reported 72 new COVID-19 cases in the past seven days, compared to 47 during the first 20 days of April and 48 through the entire month of March. The 72 cases in the district from April 21-27 are more than the district has experienced in 16 entire months since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

“COVID-19 continues to be a real and significant public health risk throughout Albany County,” said Superintendent Kaweeda G. Adams. “While we will continue to respect everyone’s personal position on wearing masks inside in our buildings, we are urging our employees, students and visitors to wear masks indoors as an added precaution against this disease.”

The district also continues to urge everyone 5 and older who is able and eligible to get fully vaccinated, including all boosters for which they may be eligible. Please also continue to test at home if you or a family member develops COVID-19 symptoms, and report any positive test results to your school nurse and the county health department. 

For more information, please visit the county health department’s COVID-19 Vaccine Information section, and our COVID-19 Information and Testing section.