121 Canton Schools Personnel Test Positive For COVID In 2 Weeks

CANTON, CT — COVID-19 case rates have nearly doubled in the Farmington Valley — and Canton Public Schools have not been spared from that spread, Superintendent Kevin Case said.

In a letter to the school community, Case said over the last two weeks (including winter break), 121 individuals within the Canton Public Schools community have tested positive: 36 at Cherry Brook Primary School, 20 at Canton Intermediate School, 20 at Canton Middle School and 55 at Canton High School.

Case didn't specify whether the individuals are students, faculty members or staff members.

To assist with contact tracing, officials are asking students to share their vaccination cards with Canton Public Schools, Case said in the letter.

"This is not mandatory nor a requirement for attendance by students, but is a strong recommendation from the Farmington Valley Health District," the letter reads. "This information will be kept confidential by the school nurses and only accessed for contact tracing purposes when necessary."

Parents who wish to share evidence of their child's vaccination should send a hard copy or email/fax an electronic copy to Diane Sodaro at dsodaro@cantonschools.org or fax 860-693-5837.

As of Jan. 1, the average positive case rate in Canton overall was 94.7 cases per 100,000 individuals over a two-week period — a sharp increase from the week ending Dec. 25, which saw a case rate of 60 per 100,000.

Throughout the Farmington Valley, in the two weeks that ended Jan. 1 the 4-17 age group accounted for 19 percent of reported cases. The 20-39 age group accounted for 36 percent, the 40-59 age group accounted for 27 percent and the 60+ age group accounted for 11 percent.