More than three-quarters of Shalhevet students and staff were at least partially vaccinated against Covid-19 by  late May, and the percentage who had tested positive for the virus remained at just under 10 percent, according to the final Covid Tracker of the 2020-21 school year.

It was the Boiling Point’s 14th Covid Tracker survey of students, faculty and staff, and was conducted May 25-26 via Google Forms.  The first was held Oct. 13-14.  

 Vaccine questions were added in January and April, the first being about whether any household members were vaccinated and the second about Shalhevet community members themselves.  As of April 6, 30.4% of students and staff said they had already received at least one dose — most likely many of them teachers, who became eligible in March.  

By May 26, 76.3% of Shalhevet students and staff surveyed reported being at least partially immunized, the tracker found, and 90 percent of Shalhevet households had at least one person in that category.

Meanwhile, the percentage of respondents who said they’d tested positive for Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic increased slightly in the final month, from 9.8% April 21 to 9.9% May 26. 

Also in the final tracker, the percentage of students and staff saying they had been exposed to Covid increased, from 30.7% on April 21, to 32.8% on May 26. 

And the percentage who said they knew personally someone who had died from the illness also rose, from 18.8% to 19.1%, over the same period.

When the Covid Tracker started on October 13, only 1.4% of respondents had ever tested positive for the illness.

As of May 25-26, 76.3% of respondents said they had received either one or two doses (or one of Johnson & Johnson) vaccines against Covid-19 — 25.2% saying they had received one dose, and an additional 51.1% saying they’d received either two doses or one dose of Johnson and Johnson (which only requires one dose for immunity). 

The final tracker was only the third time respondents were asked whether they themselves — Shalhevet students and staff — had been vaccinated. 

Of individuals who have had the vaccine, 92% of respondents said they had received Pfizer and 7% said Moderna, and 1% said Johnson & Johnson as of May 26. 

The percentage of people who said someone in their household had tested positive decreased slightly, from 20.8% April 21 to 19.1% May 25-26 —  reflecting a different set of students and staff who took the poll. 

Also slightly decreasing was the percentage of community members who reported personally knowing someone who has contracted Covid-19 — 90.8% of those surveyed, compared to 91.1% April 6-7.

Like all of the Boiling Point’s Covid Tracker surveys, the final poll was linked on gradewide group chats, posted on Schoology and made time for in the classes of some General Studies teachers. Of about 300 students and staff at school, 131 responded May 25-26. 

The highest number of responses recorded was March 9-10 — 181 — when the Tracker coincided with Color War and teams could earn points for participation. 

The Boiling Point conducted its 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 May 25-26 Covid Tracker questions.

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

Gallery • 8 Photos

BP Graphic by Eli Weiss