HERKIMER – The Herkimer County Department of Public Health notified Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES on Saturday, Sept. 19, of a confirmed positive COVID-19 case in one of the Herkimer BOCES Career and Technical Education programs at the William E. Busacker Complex in Herkimer.
As directed by the Public Health Department, all students and staff in that particular program are being contacted by the Public Health Department. Public Health will determine who among the staff and students needs to be quarantined and will inform them.
All other Herkimer BOCES students and staff should follow regular schedules because their programs and locations are not impacted by the case that was isolated to one CTE program. The area of the affected program is being sanitized and disinfected throughout the weekend. All non-quarantined staff and students may return to in-person instruction beginning Monday, Sept. 21.
Herkimer BOCES is cooperating with the Department of Public Health as this case is investigated and contact tracing takes place. Herkimer BOCES appreciates that Public Health Department officials reached out to notify Herkimer BOCES on Saturday morning so that disinfection work could be conducted over the weekend to allow the other programs to continue uninterrupted.
“This is the first test of the COVID-related protocols we put in place, and they are clearly working, as is evidenced by the low number of staff and students involved – as well our ability to take prompt action,” Herkimer BOCES District Superintendent Sandra Sherwood said. “The health and safety of students and staff continues to be the top priority throughout this process.” Further information and announcements will be provided as updates are available.