Governor Cuomo Directs State Department of Health Investigation of Potential COVID-19 Exposure at High School Graduation in Westchester From Student Who Returned From Florida

NYSDOH Directs Anyone Who Attended Graduation Ceremony to Quarantine 

Investigation of Potential COVID-19 Spread in Westchester County

The Governor directed the NYSDOH to investigate the potential of COVID-19 exposure associated with a Horace Greeley High School drive-in graduation ceremony held on June 20 at Chappaqua Train Station in Westchester County. An individual who had recently traveled to Florida and attended the ceremony subsequently began showing symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19. Since then, four more individuals who attended the ceremony and had contact with the first positive case have also tested positive. All individuals who have tested positive are currently self-isolating. In addition to the graduation ceremony, the student participated in a non-school related “Field Night” event on June 20, which was also attended by juniors and seniors and students from surrounding school districts. Individuals who attended the graduation ceremony, Field Night event, or events associated with graduation, which continued into June 21, should extend their quarantine period until July 5th.

The New York State Department of Health and the Westchester County Health Department are working with officials from Horace Greeley to identify all individuals who attended the graduation ceremony and any subsequent gatherings where they may have been exposed. The New York State Contact Tracing Program will be reaching out to identified individuals and anyone who attended the ceremony or subsequent gatherings should get tested.

On June 14, New York State DOH issued guidance to ensure any district that decides to host a graduation ceremony adheres to appropriate protective measures including social distancing, limitations on number of attendees, wearing face coverings, and other precautions.  Part of the comprehensive public health response will be to determine whether the guidance had been followed.

As part of our public health outreach, the State and County DOH encourage testing for anybody who attended the graduation ceremony or the Field Night event and may have come in contact with an infected individual. For information about testing, please contact your local healthcare provider, or visit https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-testing.