I send you best wishes with this latest COVID update. Here in Lakeville, while we have been focused on the election and other world news, we also concluded the first marking period and began winter athletics practices. This weekend, we enjoyed sunny days and summer temperatures that drew people outside and kept windows open. Regarding COVID, I have much to report this week, including some changes to athletics and residential practices, an important update on testing, and information on Connecticut's new COVID restriction Phase 2.1.
As I communicated on Thursday, our testing last week revealed one positive test for an outside contractor working on campus. The contact tracing process and our other tests showed no further sign of the virus or transmission on campus, and we have decided to make the following changes to practices on campus:
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Students may now receive a guest (residents +1 guest) in their dorm rooms from their floor, provided that students follow masking, physical distancing, and ventilation rules.
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Squash, basketball, and hockey are now engaging in intrasquad play. Masks are mandatory, and distancing is being maintained on the benches, sidelines, and whenever students are not in drills. All athletic activities have tailored safety protocols.
The increase in intensity and contact in basketball and hockey makes it likely that a positive case on a team would result in many or all members of the team being identified as close contacts. However, we believe that the low likelihood of the virus on campus and improved quality of experience for students make these changes worthwhile.
Testing updates
Based on information we received over the weekend, we have no further reason to believe there were COVID cases on campus in October. As you know, our surveillance testing during the week of October 12-16 returned four positive tests. As a result, more than 30 close contacts moved into quarantine and we instituted a "pause" of activity on campus for several days. Because follow-up testing of those individuals and the campus was negative, we pressed Tempus, the testing company, to review their findings. They have since conducted three rounds of review, and on Saturday, November 7, they issued a statement to the School that eight of the tests they conducted that week are invalid due to a manual error at the laboratory. These tests included the four Hotchkiss positives, as well as four other tests that came back negative. Because all students remained without symptoms and tested negative on multiple successive occasions, and because campus testing was negative, the only logical conclusion is that there were no COVID-19 cases during the week of October 12-16. All families of the students who tested positive have been notified of the invalidated tests, and Tempus is in the process of informing the local department of public health. We recognize and regret that this lab error caused undue fear, stress, cost, and deep inconvenience to the Hotchkiss community and beyond.
On Monday, we initiated our fourth round of pooled saliva testing with Mirimus labs. All students and student-facing employees participate on a weekly basis. One benefit of the pooled saliva testing method is that samples will be tested multiple times before we receive a positive result. How it works: when a pool of 24 samples tests positive, the company then re-tests 12 pairs of samples that make up that pool. If one pair comes back positive, they then test the two individual samples. Accordingly, last week's positive sample had been tested three times before we received the result.
One important note for families: if your student's saliva sample is part of a positive pair, you will be required to register with Mirimus Labs in order to release results. The Health Center will be in touch with families to support the process if it becomes necessary.
One lesson of all of this is that surveillance testing is not enough by itself to keep us safe. No testing protocol is foolproof, and results still come a few days after the tests are conducted. At Hotchkiss, our testing protocol remains one of six major protection layers, including the personal habits of masking, distancing, and handwashing, and the other controls available such as gathering size and ventilation.
Responding to Local and National Surges
As I have communicated, incidence of the virus continues to increase in Litchfield County and in neighboring counties. We are encouraging all employees and day students to do everything they can to protect themselves and their families, and to ensure they do not inadvertently bring the virus to campus.
The State of Connecticut has moved back to Phase 2.1 of reopening due to a statewide surge nearing the levels of the spring. The main ramifications of this for Hotchkiss are a limitation on indoor and outdoor gathering sizes outside of classes, co-curricular activities, and meals. We will remain alert to any further guidance that emerges in the coming days.
Looking forward
While the primary focus of our COVID planning at this time is maintaining campus safety until students depart at Thanksgiving, we are preparing for our return to campus in February. We will begin to communicate more details in the coming weeks about return testing, quarantine, and other protocols, but we likely will not finalize plans until January due to the continuing uncertainty of the pandemic.
As schools shut down across the state and nationwide due to the virus, we remain grateful that we are able to operate as fully as we are, thanks to the care and dutifulness of our students, the outstanding work of our staff and faculty, and the support of Hotchkiss families. We are indeed guided, and supported, by each other on this path.
Sincerely,
Richard H. Davis Jr.
Associate Dean of Faculty
COVID Coordinator
