The information about rising cases in schools and colleges comes as the state begins to share more data on how schools and higher education institutions are being affected by the pandemic.
The state Health Department began posting data Monday to the COVID-19 dashboard, showing a weekly snapshot of COVID activity based on reports from staff, parents, and test results from schools.
The new data provides new and cumulative case rates among students and staff. It also shows trends over time and current activity by county. For K-12 schools, data includes staff vaccination rates and the number of students learning remotely because of COVID-19 quarantine policies.
On the college and university level, data on the number of students in isolation or quarantine, vaccination rates and the number of COVID clusters on campus is shared. A COVID cluster on a college campus is defined as two or more people linked to a common activity associated with the school community.
“This new information can help school administrators, teachers, students, and parents track case rates over time, see how their county is faring compared to surrounding areas, monitor the number of students learning remotely in K-12 due to COVID-19, and track the number of college and university students in isolation or quarantine at both the county and the regional level,” said Judy Persichilli, New Jersey’s health commissioner.
However, while more information about pandemic trends are now being shared on the state’s dashboard, it does not include every school or college.