3 Chelmsford Students Test Positive For Coronavirus: State

CHELMSFORD, MA — During the first two weeks that school has been in session, three students at Chelmsford Public Schools have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to state data.

Across the state 63 Massachusetts students and 34 staff members who have tested positive for the coronavirus between Sept. 24 and 30, according to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education which is tracking the data.

The news comes as Chelmsford's coronavirus risk level rose to moderate this week.

Although he did not immediately return request for comment on the coronavirus cases, Superintendent Jay Lang thanked families at the end of last week, the first full week of school, and acknowledged that it was a strange school year.

"It doesn’t look the same and we cannot expect it to,"he said in a newsletter home dated Sept. 25.. "We have put health and safety at the forefront of our decision-making and planning for the year."

He said students are taking seriously social distancing, wearing masks and consistently washing their hands and using hand sanitizer while at school.

He said he had noticed a few instances of students not wearing masks while walking to or from school, saying that's ok for students walking with family members, or people from the same household, but students who are walking or in close contact with friends outside of their home should wear masks.

"Please help me reinforce this with your children," he said. "A consistent message with continual reminders is important and will ultimately enable us to continue with and look to expand in-person learning this year."

The district welcomed students back to class on Sept. 16 with a hybrid model.

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