Less Than 10 COVID Cases So Far In Montclair Schools: Official

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Montclair’s public schools have seen less than 10 cases of the coronavirus since reopening for a new year, an official says.

“At this time, we have only seen a very low number of cases – well under 10,” Superintendent Jonathan Ponds said in a Friday message to the school community.

“You’ve been outstanding in helping us mitigate the virus,” Ponds added. Read More: Essex County COVID Update (Case Totals, How To Get Vaccine)

Here are some other updates from the superintendent.

POOLED TESTING

“We will be testing once a week at every school,” Ponds said. “The results will come back within 48 hours. If a positive test is found, those students/staff in the pool will be notified and individualized COVID testing will be performed for them by Ginkgo Bioworks following all necessary safety protocols.”

At no time will students be intermingling during this individual testing period, he added.

“When a positive case is identified, we will follow our routine contact tracing and notifications will be done,” Ponds said. “Please review a general video and one from Baltimore City Schools showing how testing works. Health and safety are of paramount importance.”

TRAVEL

According to Ponds, state guidance in the “Road Forward” explains the CDC recommendations for traveling and subsequent quarantines:

“While there is no statewide travel advisory or mandate in place at this time, schools are encouraged to have a policy for exclusion for students and staff that is consistent with CDC COVID-19 travel recommendations. The CDC recommends that travel be delayed for those who are not fully vaccinated. If travel cannot be delayed, domestic and international travelers who are not fully vaccinated should get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel AND stay home and self-quarantine for a full 7 days after travel, even if they test negative. If testing is not completed post-travel, individuals should self-quarantine for 10 days. International travelers who are fully vaccinated should also get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel, selfmonitor for symptoms, and isolate and get tested if symptoms develop. For those traveling to/from New Jersey, domestic travel is defined as lasting 24 hours or longer to states or U.S. territories other than those connected to New Jersey, such as Pennsylvania, New York, and Delaware.”

What does this mean for students and families in Montclair? According to Ponds:

“If your children are not fully vaccinated, they should be tested within three to five days of return and quarantine for seven days, even with a negative test. Without a test, the quarantine period increases to 10 days. As mentioned at my Town Hall in August, let’s continue to partner and keep our students safe. Please follow the CDC recommendations and delay unessential travel. If you cannot delay travel for unforeseen circumstances; for instance, a funeral, we will provide virtual instruction during quarantine. If your travel does not meet a significant need, virtual learning will not be available. I know this is a strong statement, but during this global pandemic, I’m asking you to curtail non-essential travel to the greatest extent possible. We will look at holiday travel and advise you of our stance by the end of October.”

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