NORTHAMPTON — In-person school was canceled in Northampton Thursday because of an increase in COVID-19 cases in Holyoke that triggered the shutdown under the terms of a labor agreement.
Under an agreement with the Northampton Association of School Employees (NASE)— the union that represents teachers, cafeteria workers, and other employees — if the average daily case rate of COVID-19 in Northampton, Easthampton or Holyoke is eight or more cases per 100,000 residents, in-person school is canceled.
Holyoke’s average daily case rate was pegged Wednesday at 10.7 per 100,000 people over a 14-day period, a level at which the state Department of Public Health is designating the city as a higher-risk area for COVID-19. It wasn’t the only city or town in western Massachusetts to see an increase in the same time period. Amherst’s average daily case rate is 16.8 per 100,000 people, making it also a higher risk area for COVID-19 and Sunderland was also placed in the same category.
Under the labor agreement, when the case rate increases in some towns, including Amherst, in-person services aren’t automatically canceled, but a Health and Safety Joint Labor Management Committee must meet to decide whether or not to cancel.
In Northampton, school started remotely, except for prioritized students — those with individualized education programs, preschool students, English language learners and homeless students and some others — who were able to go into school.
Under the agreement between NASE and the district, in this situation, a Health and Safety Joint Labor Management Committee must meet within 48 hours “to consider the situation and make a recommendation for a process and timing of resuming in-person services.”
Superintendent John Provost was not immediately available Thursday afternoon to comment.
Holyoke Public Schools were open Thursday. Though the school year started remotely, some prioritized students were able to come to school in-person. Given that Holyoke just moved into the higher risk category, “we will continue to be extra diligent about all of our health and safety protocols for students and staff, ” school district spokeswoman Judy Taylor wrote in an email.
Also on Thursday, the city Health Department issued gathering restrictions.
Under the state’s reopening plan, case numbers in Northampton would allow the city to move to a new step of the plan which includes opening some indoor performance spaces with limited capacity and opening outdoor performance venues with 50% of their capacity and a maximum of 250 people.
But, the health department announced it would not be allowing any indoor performance venues to open. Outdoor performance venues are limited to 25% capacity and a maximum of 50 people, and any outdoor gathering cannot exceed 50 people.
Case rates have been low in Northampton — .07% of those tested had COVID-19 over the last 14 days. But, “I believe we must remain vigilant and cautious in how and when we reopen to these kinds of capacity levels and activities,” Health Department Director Merridith O’Leary said in a statement.
Greta Jochem can be reached at gjochem@gazettenet.com.