A COVID-19 outbreak from an off-site Manhattan District Attorney’s Office holiday party has resulted in a number of staffers being forced to quarantine and “significant shortages,” according to an internal letter.
“Unfortunately, over the last few days our [District Attorney New York] family has experienced a material uptick in COVID cases among our staff members mainly stemming from attendance at an offsite holiday party,” Administrative Assistant District Attorney Bonnie Sard said in an email to staffers Tuesday.
Sard said “some of the affected employees are experiencing mild to moderate symptoms to date, and we wish them speedy recoveries.”
Sard added that anyone who tested positive must quarantine and said the office has asked “many members of the impacted department to avoid coming into the office for the time being.”
“This has caused significant shortages, disruptions to the department’s practice, and other challenges,” the letter said.
The office also canceled all on-site holiday parties and social gatherings and is “strongly” discouraging off-site parties going forward, the letter said.
Sard reiterated basic COVID-19 protocols, telling workers to get tested if they experience any symptoms, wear masks in the office, get fully vaccinated and regularly get tested when traveling, seeing friends or feeling sick.
Ongoing trials at the 100 Centre Street courthouse haven’t been effected by the outbreak, a court source said.
And so far, only one assistant district attorney has reported to the courts that they tested positive for COVID-19 after coming to the courthouse on Monday, according to the source.
The DA’s office declined to say when the party took place or how many staffers were self-isolating.
