(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez on Thursday said he fully expects community COVID-19 cases to be high as students return to classes Jan. 3.
But he insists the school system is ready.
“Cases are rising, but there is no evidence that at school settings that children are more at risk. In fact, the evidence is very clear that children are actually safer in schools,” he said during a news conference to discuss in-person learning.
If a classroom sees a COVID outbreak, Martinez said, the district is prepared to act quickly.
“We're going to transition that classroom to remote. We will then provide home tests to the children. They'll be able to take the test on about the fifth day. If the test comes back negative, we're able to bring them back early,” he said.
The district sent roughly 150,000 at-home COVID test kits over holiday break to CPS families.
So far, 37,000 have been processed and show a 1% positivity rate.
Students who test positive are asked not to come to school at the start of the new semester.
CPS also plans to continue its existing COVID-19 mitigations, which include masking and regular testing.
“We have plenty of three-ply masks across the schools,” Martinez said. “We’re buying another 2 million that we're going to be receiving in January, as well. In addition, we will have our COVID testing continue next week. We’re up to about 40,000 in capacity.”
When asked if the district would test every student before their return, as suggested by the Chicago Teachers Union, Martinez said he feels the district is taking a “very conservative approach.”
“We are going to respond to the data. So, as we see cases rising, as we see them in the schools, you will see more classroom transition to remote,” he said.
“That is actually a more conservative approach than almost any other large school district that I've seen in the country and that’s, frankly, because I know the anxiety is high and because I've seen how uneven the vaccination rates are.”
Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said the best way for parents to protect their children is to get them vaccinated against COVID-19, find a mask that fits well and keep them home if they show any symptoms of coronavirus infection.
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