Update on news of recent COVID Cases On Saturday, October 17, a group of community leaders met to discuss the new positive COVID-19 cases that have emerged at Hotchkiss, Geer Village and within the Region One School system. The purpose of the meeting was to share information and to ensure consistency of communication with the public. The Zoom call, organized by State Representative Maria Horn, included the following individuals who represented the institutions and the towns most directly impacted by the emergence of the new COVID-19 cases:

Craig Bradley, Head of School, The Hotchkiss SchoolLisa Carter, Interim Superintendent, Region One School District Hope Cobera, Chief Communications Officer, The Hotchkiss SchoolBrent Colley, First Selectman, SharonMark Hirko, President, Sharon HospitalMaria Horn, Connecticut State Representative, 64th DistrictKevin O’Connell, CEO Geer Village Senior CommunityCharlie Perotti, First Selectman, North CanaanCurtis Rand, First Selectman, SalisburyRobert Rubbo, Director of Health, Torrington Area Health DistrictJared Zelman, Medical Director, The Hotchkiss School

This letter provides notes from that meeting and is an accurate statement about the current COVID-19 situation in our towns. A summary of the discussion by institution is noted below. The representative from each of the institutions that has recently experienced new COVID-19 cases provided information about their current situation to the other members of the group, who were able to ask questions:

Geer Village – Geer employees and residents have been tested since the onset of the virus last spring. There have been no cases until this week when 6 members and 11 residents tested positive as a result of routine testing. All COVID-19-positive residents have been isolated and staff have been identified and quarantined. Torrington Area Health District has completed contact tracing and everyone who is a direct contact has been notified. Regular weekly testing of staff and residents will continue to ensure that any new cases are quickly captured and isolated. There are no visitors allowed and no one may enter the facility without testing negative for the virus.

The Hotchkiss School -All students and student-facing faculty and staff were tested prior to the start of the school year. Upon arrival, all students participated in a two-week quarantine in their dormitory rooms (or at home in the case of day students). During this period, students were tested by the School, and one student tested positive. That student and close contacts (also students) were isolated from the rest of the school population or sent home. There have been no other positive cases until this week, when four students tested positive during weekly routine surveillance testing. Those students and any close contacts have been isolated and quarantined at Hotchkiss or, in the case of students who can travel via private transportation, they have returned to their homes. At this moment, all positive cases and any close contacts are all students, and no adults have been affected. Over the weekend, all students and student-facing employees will be tested. Any newly identified cases will be isolated on campus or in their homes off campus. Until this testing can be conducted, all students are under quarantine in their dorm rooms. Classes are being held remotely, and day students are learning from home. Only absolutely essential staff are allowed on campus. This campus quarantine will continue until the all-campus testing is completed and any remaining incidence of the virus has been identified. Going forward, all-School testing will be conducted every week. As part of the School’s ongoing safety protocols, no students have been allowed to leave campus at any time to participate in travel sports teams,