On Sept. 9, 2020, educators in at least two New York City public schools tested positive for COVID-19.

In response, UFT President Michael Mulgrew issued the following statement:

Until we have a vaccine in place, the most effective tactics against the spread of the coronavirus have been masks and social distancing, along with testing and contract tracing. All of these are part of the city’s safety plan.

The plan anticipates that testing will sometimes show that asymptomatic individuals in schools have contracted the virus.

The isolation and quarantine of such individuals, followed by aggressive contact tracing, are also key elements of the safety plan. We will be working with the city's Department of Education and NYC Health + Hospitals to make sure that all affected schools follow the quarantine and contact tracing guidelines.