This week, the number of students and staff who said that they had ever tested positive for Covid-19 went up —  from three in the poll that was conducted two weeks ago to 11 this week. The percentage increased from 2.1% of 145 respondents Dec. 17 to 8.6%% of 128 respondents Jan. 5.

The number and percentage of students and staff who said they had been exposed to coronavirus also increased. The number increased from 23 people (15.9%) in the Dec. 16 tracker to 37 people (28.9%) this week. 

The Boiling Point is conducting a Covid-19 tracking project to watch how Covid cases are progressing not only at school but among friends, family and personal acquaintances of Shalhevet community members. 

The survey is not scientific. Originally it was posted whenever there was a Town Hall, but it now is published every other week, and community members including students, faculty and staff have until midnight the following night to respond.

This week’s poll was posted (and linked on Schoology and in other school chats) Jan. 5 – 6. There were 128 students and staff who responded. 

The numbers and percentage of students and staff who responded that someone in their own household had had Covid-19 increased as well, from 10 people (6.9%) in the Dec. 16 tracker to 17 people (13.3%) this week. 

And the percentage of community members who know someone who has contracted Covid-19 also increased between these two polls, from 76.6% (111 out of 146) to 91.4% (117 out of 128).

Likewise, the percentage of people responding who said they knew personally someone who had died from the illness also increased from 18.6% (27 of 145) to 36.7% (47 of 128).  This compares with 40 students and staff who knew someone who had died when the Boiling Point Covid Tracker was initiated Oct. 13- 14. That poll had 143 respondents.

Meanwhile, on-campus school was not held the week of Jan. 4.  School administration cancelled it because of social distancing problems that were reported over December break, they said.  The closure happened the same week that Barbara Ferrer of the county health department asked all schools to stay closed — although she did not issue an official order — because of the continuing jump in Los Angeles cases.

Therefore, this week’s Covid Tracker also included a question asking whether people would have attended school the week of Jan. 4 if it were to have taken place.  

For that reason, the Jan. 5 Covid Tracker also asked responders whether they would have attended on their in-person day if it had taken place. 

For that question, almost two-thirds (63.3%, or 81 responders) said that they would not have attended, while 36.7% (47) of people said that they would have. 

In-person school resumed Jan. 11.  On Monday which is the 12th-grade day, the Boiling Point counted three seniors attended. On Tuesday, which is the 11th-grade day, BP staff counted nine juniors in the morning.  But the number declined as the day progressed, with eight present after first period and four present by the end of the day.

Six 10th-graders were counted in class by BP observers on Wednesday.

Click on the gallery below to see answers to all Jan. 5-6 Covid Tracker questions.

Type “Covid Tracker” in the search box for information on previous time periods.

Gallery • 5 Photos

BP Graph by Eli Weiss