Carrie Giarnese signing Monday’s press conference for the hearing-impaired.
As a new Covid-19 wave spreads through New Haven, officials are doubling down on keeping city offices safe and looking into who spread obscene threats through one school’s remote-learning cybersphere.
Those were among the updates offered late Monday afternoon at the latest Elicker administration Covid-19 virtual press briefing.
Officials reported that:
• Someone apparently used a student’s email address to send obscene messages to other students, faculty, and parents at Columbus Family Academy through Google Classroom and through regular email. The “offensive” messages included sexually-related threats, according to Mayor Justin Elicker.
Schools Superintendent Monday sent the following message to educators and families: “It has come to our attention that there are cyber activities involving hacking into students’ accounts, using fake NHPS account numbers, and displaying sexually explicit materials that are impacting the learning community. The New Haven Police Department and the FBI, including our IT Department, are investigating the matter. We are not yet sure how widespread this is among our schools. I am asking parents to please monitor closely their children’s account.”
• Seven employees are self-isolating in city government’s Livable City Initiative after one employee tested positive. The Community Services Administration and public works department also have an employee each testing positive. As reported last week, a city clerk’s employee tested positive, and 12 individuals who had exposure to her are self-isolating. Fifteen officers are currently out because of possible exposure to Covid-positive people; one cop has recently tested positive, as have four firefighters. The city is continually updating its protocols in the workplace and making sure all departments are following guidelines ranging from screening employees to having plexiglass partitions in place. (An employee of the probate court at 200 Orange St. is self-quarantining after a relative tested positive, although the employee tested negative, according to Probate Judge Clifton Graves Jr.)
• Yale reported that numerous Covid cases among students have been tied to dining out in New Haven. At Monday’s press conference, Health Director Maritza Bond said that six of the Covid-positive Yalies had eaten at El Amigo Felix at Howe and Whalley. She said inspectors had already been there certifying that the restaurant is complying with Covid safety rules. They returned to check in again after the Yale report, and found proper procedures in place. Two employees there who work at other restaurants as well have been tested, with negative results. Two others are being tested “out of an abundance of caution,” Bond said. She added that there is no evidence that the students necessarily contracted the coronavirus while eating there. “We have no concerns at this juncture” about the restaurant, Bond said.
City of New Haven
• To date 3,780 New Haveners have tested positive and 117 have died from the coronavirus since the pandemic began.
• A working group is preparing for the release and dissemination of a Covid vaccine. Bond released the following charts about the effort:
CDC has already said that healthcare workers will be at the front of the line, which presumably includes EMS, at least the paramedics and EMTs that respond and treat. The hospitals will likely include their staffs. Yet, where are the essential workers in our grocery stores, childcare, etc.? They have been laboring throughout the pandemic. Surely, they should come before the municipal workers or the schools, especially in New Haven where city hall and the schools are closed. (Good to see police on the list, as they often need to get up close and personal with uncooperative people.)