BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — With a month until school starting, and COVID-19 numbers starting to creep back up with the Delta variant, Erie County leaders spoke about their concerns with summer camps and summer schools on Wednesday.
“What we're seeing in the schools, in the summer camps is very, very concerning,” said Erie County Health Commissioner Dr. Gale Burstein.
Burstein sites more children moving around one another, unmasked and staff and students showing up even if they're sick.
“We have seen more evidence of transmission in the summer schools and the camps then compared to what we saw during the school year,” said Burstein.
One Western New York superintendent says there needs to be a clear distinction between summer school and summer camps when it comes to the Erie County explaining the spread of the virus.
“I think we have to be clear about what's happening and where,” said Michael Cornell, the superintendent of the Hamburg Central School District. “We had a meeting this morning, the number is a less than a handful of cases that have been transmitted in schools.”
That meeting was with other superintendents around Buffalo about the spread of the virus in summer schools.
The superintendent in Springville said last week ten children tested positive for COVID-19 at a summer camp.
With school fast approaching, health officials and school districts look to the state department of health for guidance.
“Hopefully before school begins issue guidance for grades K-12,” said Burstein.
