Natick Superintendent: Outside Activities & Parties Increasing COVID Infections in Schools; Positive Pools Doubled This Week

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NATICK – Natick Superintendent of Schools Anna Nolin said positive COVID pools have doubled.

“While the data in the region is dropping, and we have much to celebrate, our district infection and quarantine data holds steady. Our positive pools have doubled, but this was expected due to the full return-to-school,”

This week, there were two positive pools at Kennedy Middle School and two positive pools at Wilson Middle Schools.

“Outside activities, football and parties are the root cause of the transmission traced thus far,” said Nolin.

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“While limitations for masking have been lifted for vaccinated individuals, they have not been lifted for schools, buses or school property,” said Nolin. “We will continue to require these measures and also require assigned seating on buses and classes in order to make contact tracing definitive. Distancing in schools has been lowered to 3ft, but distancing anywhere else is still 6ft. As a result, contact tracing therefore and those identified as close contacts have become a huge ordeal as we navigate these competing standards. Please continue to reinforce safety expectations with your young people.”

Nolin said she and the Natick Board of Health Chair are “working to stand up in school vaccine clinics for those ages 12-22. Stay tuned for more information next week. We encourage vaccinations for anyone eligible”

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