JACKSON HEIGHTS, Queens — COVID-19 has struck at a Queens elementary school.
The NYC Department of Education confirmed that a student attending PS Q212 in Jackson Heights has the virus.
According to the DOE, on Thursday afternoon the student’s parent notified the school after the student had not been in the building for a week. Although principal Carin Ellis would not confirm the incident to PIX11 News on Friday, the DOE says she promptly notified teachers, classmates, parents and school workers. The DOE told PIX11 News the building is being disinfected and “deep cleaned” daily.
The principal would not tell PIX11 News how many students are in her school but according to a DOE website, 767 students attend the Queens school in grades K-5 and special education. The DOE did not say how many total people work at the building.
The Department of Education also reinforced city policy by asking all New Yorkers to keep tabs on their health and follow governmental restrictions aimed at halting the spread of the coronavirus.
“PS 212 received notification about a self-confirmed case of a student yesterday afternoon, and notified teachers, called every member of the child’s class, and sent a letter to the school community,” the Department of Education said in a statement. “The city’s Health Department is now urging everyone to act as if we are all exposed, and all of our school buildings are being deep cleaned and disinfected daily.”
