NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday that he thinks New York City should "seriously consider" other factors like the positivity rate in schools before thinking about moving to all-remote learning if the city reaches a 3% rolling positivity rate.
Mayor Bill de Blasio has said that schools would immediately shut down for in-person learning if the city hit the benchmark of 3% of people testing positive over a seven-day span. It was 2.8% on Friday and had dropped to 2.47% on Saturday.
However, the positivity rate has been much lower in schools. It was 0.18% on Friday.
"I would consider adding a factor of the positivity in the schools themselves," Cuomo said during a conference call with reporters Saturday. "Since the 3% was set we have become more sophisticated and have more capacity than we had at that time. We now are testing extensively within schools."
"Add to your calculus a positivity rate in the school, because if the school is not spreading the virus or if the school has a much lower positivity rate than the surrounding area then the school is not part of the problem," the governor said. "And you could argue that keeping the children in the school is part of the solution rather than the children spending time on the street in the neighborhood where the infection rate is higher."
Cuomo said there are "ancillary consequences" to closing schools, including making it harder for parents to go to work because of childcare. He said it also makes it more difficult for some children to get meals.
The governor insisted that he does have the authority to require de Blasio to keep schools open even though he previously left decision-making up to local school officials.
De Blasio said Friday that parents should "be prepared" for the possibility of schools shutting down "as early as Monday."
The mayor said the city will "immediately alert parents" if public schools plan to close, and he's urging families to plan for that potential announcement as soon as this weekend.
"People should get ready," de Blasio said in a radio interview. "This is not something any parent wants to deal with. But we should get ready. And parents should have a plan for the rest of the month of November. I think that's the safe way to think about it. Have an alternative plan beginning as early as Monday for whatever will help them get through this month if school is not open."
