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Yesterday (Sept. 2), Governor Kathy Hochul announced the state’s new requirements and issued guidance for the reopening of schools. Per the letter of determination issued by the NYS Department of Health, the new requirements and guidance also applies to contractors working in a P-12 school (public or non-public) or school district setting. Per the DOH, schools are required to have teachers/staff/contractors tested for COVID-19 “at least once per week when a school is in a geographic area identified by the CDC as having low, moderate, substantial, or high transmission rates. Teachers and staff may be permitted to opt-out of mandatory weekly screening testing if they provide documentation of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19, as set forth in 10 NYCRR 2.62.” Read the full DOH determination letter here. Also note, that per the DOH’s new Guidance for K-12 School Reopening, “all students, personnel, teachers, administrators, contractors, and visitors must wear masks at all times indoors, regardless of vaccination status.” Read the full guidance here: ECA is currently tracking owners/projects that are now requiring vaccinations for workers on their project sites. Please contact Laura Regan (LauraR@ecainc.org) if any of your jobs have issued such requirements.