As Demand for COVID-19 Tests Rises, Walgreens and CVS in New Jersey are Limiting the number of tests Available
December 22, 2021Toms River Grocery Store Hours for Christmas 2021
December 22, 2021
There Are No Plans to Alter District-Wide Operations
While the increased number of coronavirus cases in the Toms River area and across New Jersey has pushed some school districts to implement totally remote instruction, the Toms River Regional School District is not exploring it.
In a pre-holiday letter to the district's personnel and families, Interim Superintendent Stephen Genco stated that there are no plans for a districtwide change at this time.
Superintendent Genco wrote, "I know that as we enter this break and look toward 2022, there are questions and concerns about
our schools as yet another wave of this pandemic factors in. "While I certainly did not want to include the word 'Covid' in this holiday message, I do want to take a moment to reiterate that we're maintaining our approach, with respect to the size of this district, to handle each situation as it arises, with no plans to alter district-wide operations."
Gencro also stated, "While we remain very much in tune with the trends and continue to prioritize safety and health above all else, our goals remain the same, and we maintain the hope that our collective efforts will help us continue to forge ahead this school year."
On Wednesday, New Jersey reported 9,711 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, the highest number ever for a single day in the state during the pandemic. According to the Ocean County Health Department, there have been 1,647 new cases recorded in Ocean County since last Friday, Dec. 17, including 331 new cases in Toms River.
Over that time, vaccination rates have risen slightly, with 77 percent of people aged 18 and over receiving at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 68 percent receiving two doses. 33 percent of youth aged 12 to 17 have received one dose, and 29% have received two doses.
The school system has been keeping track of cases and children and personnel under quarantine, and has observed a rise in those figures, as have most other districts. According to the district, which has 13,800 pupils, there are 184 confirmed COVID-19 current cases among students and employees, with 1,083 kids and 48 staff people now in quarantine.
According to a recent revision in the state Department of Health's recommendations for student and staff quarantines, students and staff people who are recognized as a close contact of someone who tests positive for COVID-19 are only obliged to quarantine if they are not vaccinated.
Under the revised standards, those who are completely vaccinated or who have had COVID-19 and recovered within the last 90 days are not required to quarantine. Those who are required to quarantine can return to school after seven days if a COVID-19 PCR test results in a negative result for the virus on the fifth day or later. Unvaccinated pupils and employees must spend 10 days in quarantine if they are not tested.
Genco expressed his optimism that the holiday season will be a happy one for everyone in the area.
