Classrooms in West Milford, New Jersey, are still open as the school district works with contact tracers to contain a COVID outbreak, seemingly centered around the high school.
Schools in the suburban Passaic County township were open for just two weeks when the spike in cases was reported. The West Milford Schools Superintendent has informed parents that at least 36 people — mostly high school students — have tested positive for COVID-19.
The cases appear to be linked to a football game earlier this month.
“Our contact tracing revealed connections between students at out-of/school events, including the home varsity football game on Sept. 10,” the district said to parents last week.
Both participants in the game and spectators have since gotten sick.
The school also said that “this matter is overwhelmingly concentrated in individuals not fully vaccinated.”
So far classroom remain open and other extracurricular activities are continuing, although the infected people are sitting out until they recover and test negative for the virus.
NBC New York reports that, as of Tuesday, parents were mostly supportive of the district's decision to remain open, despite the outbreak.