District reports rise in COVID cases, schedules school vaccination clinics

District health staff told the committee on Oct. 28 that COVID cases in the Blackstone‑Millville Regional School District have risen sharply in recent weeks, and the superintendent said the state masking mandate has been extended through Jan. 15.

Karen, the district nurse, reported 52 active cases districtwide with 33 cases in October to date and most cases concentrated in the elementary complex and middle school. She gave summary contact‑tracing figures for school close contacts and said nearly all positive cases involved unvaccinated students; staff vaccination is high, "all but 10" staff reported fully vaccinated.

Karen announced district clinics: flu clinics on Nov. 3 (high school) and Nov. 5 (middle school), and a COVID clinic at the middle school on Nov. 9, open to students, family members and town residents. She described operational strain—nurses are conducting contact tracing at nights and weekends—and urged families to vaccinate to reduce interruptions to instruction.

Superintendent and committee members emphasized outreach via the district dashboard for up‑to‑date data instead of daily letters, and discussed expectations if pediatric vaccine authorization proceeds. No new masking or closure policy changes were adopted at the meeting.