APS releases plan for enhanced COVID-safe practices

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — New Mexico’s largest school district released its plan for enhanced COVID-safe practices Monday.

The Albuquerque Public Schools COVID-19 response team has consulted with health experts to create the following plan. There’s a few scenarios listed:

• Upon a school reaching a threshold of 3% or more of its population (students & staff) while infectious in the past 14 days, enhanced COVID-19 safe practices shall be recommended. District personnel will conduct a site visit, meet with school administration to ensure compliance with current practices, and provide recommendations for enhanced mitigation strategies.
• A school reaching a threshold of 5% or more of its population (students & staff) while infectious in the past 14 days will require enhanced COVID-19 safe practices. District personnel will conduct a site visit, meet with school personnel to ensure compliance with current practices, and provide recommendations and identify required enhanced mitigation strategies.
• 7-14 days after a school is required to implement enhanced COVID-19 safe practices, the rate of current COVID-19 cases will be reviewed, and a follow-up site visit shall be conducted to determine if additional mitigation strategies are necessary.
• 14-21 days after a school is required to implement enhanced COVID-19 safe practices, the rate of current COVID-19 cases will be reviewed. Enhanced mitigation strategies will be lifted when district personnel confirm current COVID-19 cases are below 3% of the school’s population (students & staff) in the past 14-21 days.
• Additional threshold levels will be considered if needed to determine classroom/school closures (e.g., lack of staff to provide a safe adult to student ratio, an indication of school spread, or other related contributing factors).

For the most part, district workers would visit schools and provide suggestions on stopping the spread. If that doesn’t work, schools may have to take other steps – like suspending extracurricular activities and moving classrooms outside when appropriate.

APS officials said they will consider school closures if cases get too out of hand, or if there are not enough staff members available to look after students. There are also several vaccination clinics planned at APS schools.

To see the full APS COVID-19 safety plan, click here.