by Wyatt McInerney
The end of the school year can’t come soon enough for students and staff still trying to avoid contracting COVID-19.
Following the IHS prom on June 2 and the SAT on June 4, there was a surge in COVID-19 cases in the high school, which has led some to speculate that these events may have been responsible for the sudden spike.
In the week May 23-27, just six members of the high school community tested positive, according to the daily statistics reported by the district. The following week (May 31-June 3) eight members tested positive. Many students that attended prom stayed home on Friday, June 3.
Then a noticeable spike of reported cases occurred from June 6-10 where 31 members of the high school community reportedly tested positive — that represents a 288% increase over the previous week.
The impact of the outbreak could be minimal since most are quarantining during the final week of classes and will return in time for finals and Regents exams next week. However, there is some concern that another spike could impact testing.
Conor Kenny, a sophomore taking a Regents exam next week, said, “There is some cause for concern as getting it could delay taking the Regents in time before the summer.”