Covid Tracker — Nearly one-third of students and staff are at least partially vaccinated as of April 7, survey finds

Logo Design by Sarah Feuer, Photo by Benjamin Gamson

POLL: View a slideshow of poll results by clicking through the Gallery box below.

By Benjamin Gamson and Eli Weiss
April 20, 2021

Nearly a third of Shalhevet students and staff have been partially immunized as of April 7, according to the Covid Tracker.

This week for the first time, the Covid Tracker asked students and teachers whether they themselves had been vaccinated. As of April 6-7, 16.7% of students and staff said that they had received one dose, and an additional 13.7% of students and staff say that they have taken two doses or one dose of Johnson and Johnson (which only requires one dose for immunity).

Of the individuals who have taken the vaccine, 82% of respondents said they had received Pfizer and 18% said Moderna.

This week, the percentage of students and staff who said they had been exposed to Covid increased, from 29.4% as of March 24 to 34.3% on April 7.

The percentage of people who said someone in their household had tested positive decreased, from 19.3% March 23-24 to 18.6% April 6-7, reflecting a different set of students who answered the Tracker.

Meanwhile, the percentage of people who said they have tested positive for Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic increased to 9.8% from 8.3% two weeks ago.

Increasing slightly was the percentage who said they knew personally someone who had died from the illness, from 22.9% to 24.5% in the same period.

This week’s poll was linked on gradewide group chats, posted on Schoology, and given time to complete in several classes. Of about 300 students and staff at school, 102 responded.

The highest number of responses ever recorded was March 9-10, the Tracker received the highest number of responses recorded thus far, 181, when the Tracker coincided with Color War and teams could earn points for participation. The average of all other weeks together — excluding March 9-10 — is now 119.

Also this week, the Boiling Point published a history of this Covid Tracker in its print edition. To see the long-term effect of Covid-19 on the Shalhevet community, look for Issue 4 in the school lobby, outside the front door, and at kosher restaurants on Pico, in the Hancock Park – LaBrea area and in Westwood. NOTE: There is a slight color discrepancy on the Covid graph. The percentage of respondents reporting testing positive for Covid-19 themselves is the dark red line, not the brighter orange-red line.

Staying roughly even this week was the percentage of community members who reported personally knowing someone who has contracted Covid-19 — 93.6% of those surveyed, compared to 93.1% April 6-7.

On Jan. 26, the Covid Tracker added a question asking whether the respondent or anyone in their household had received a Covid vaccine.

In the March 9-10 tracker, 32.6% of respondents answered that they or someone in their household had received one dose, and 44.8% said two doses.

While the percent of students and staff who’d been partially or fully vaccinated was 30%, nearly three-quarters of those surveyed said at least one person in their household was either partly or fully immunized.

When the question was whether anyone in their households had been partly or fully immunized, 9.8% of respondents answered that they or someone in their household had received one dose, and 74.5% of people responded saying two doses, or one dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.

Together, these numbers suggest that 84.3% of the Shalhevet community has at least one household member who is at least partially immunized.

Fewer than a fifth — 15.7% — said either that no one in their household had yet had the vaccine, or that they were unsure.

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 is now published every other Tuesday morning. Community members including students, faculty and staff have until midnight the following night to respond.

Click on the gallery below to see answers to all April 6-7 Covid Tracker questions.

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

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Meet the Writer

Benjamin Gamson, Editor-in-Chief

Benjamin Gamson, 12th grade, is in his second year as an Editor-in-Chief of the Boiling Point, having served last year as only the second junior to hold that post himself. Benjamin joined the Boiling Point during his freshman year as a staff writer and became Polling Director during the second semester. As News Editor in his sophomore year, Benjamin managed and edited the Community, Torah and Outside News sections.

Benjamin has authored over 70 articles and podcasts and won awards from organizations including AJPA, JSPA and NSPA. Outside of Boiling Point, he is a member of the Model Congress team and an active participant in the Just Community. When not in school, Benjamin enjoys following politics, current events and baseball, and listening to music.

Eli Weiss, Senior Editor

Eli joined Boiling Point in his first semester as a freshman. Quickly becoming involved, he became assistant web editor in his second semester, during which he helped redesign the website and get the Boiling Point to become a SNO Distinguished Site for the first time.

Besides web design, Eli does design and takes photographs for the Boiling Point. Outside of Boiling Point, Eli is a programmer of the Shalhevet robotics team, guitarist with the band and a grade representative to the Agenda committee. When not in school, Eli enjoys playing guitar, harmonica and listening to music.