Schools, child care providers, and families can expect limited changes focused on clarifying and simplifying the guidance
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has released its updated COVID-19 guidance for K-12 schools and child care. The guidance outlines both required and recommended measures for the 2022-23 school year to help reduce COVID-19 transmission in school and child care settings. Schools, child care providers, and families can expect limited changes focused on clarifying and simplifying the guidance.
“We are entering a new stage of coexisting with COVID-19 in our communities, knowing that COVID-19 is here to stay for the foreseeable future,” said Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH, Secretary of Health. “DOH also recognizes the importance of being able to maintain in-person learning for children, and the fundamental links between education and long-term health outcomes.”
Clarified requirements and recommendations in this school year’s guidance include:
- Students, children, and staff who test positive for COVID-19 are required to stay at home and isolate for 5 days. Repeating initial COVID-19 testing will not affect this requirement.
- Students, children, and staff returning from 5 days of isolation should wear a well-fitted mask from days 6 to 10. Those returning are encouraged to test before doing so.
- Schools and child care providers are no longer required to directly notify high risk individuals of exposure but must continue to have a process in place to inform students, staff, and families of cases and outbreaks.
- Schools and child care providers continue to be required to report outbreaks (3 or more cases within a specified core group) to local health jurisdictions (LHJ) and to have a system in place to respond.
DOH continues to encourage schools and child care providers to consider their local context when selecting any additional measures to help reduce COVID-19 transmission in schools and child care settings and to coordinate with their LHJ, particularly during times of outbreak. Schools, child care providers, and the LHJ may choose to continue to implement more protective measures, depending upon their context, to help ensure students, children, and staff can continue in-person activities safely.
While the guidance is specific to COVID-19 prevention, it can also help to reduce transmission of other common respiratory viruses such as influenza. DOH has also developed a brief for schools and a brief for child care providers to provide a high-level overview on changes to the guidance.
The DOH website is a source for a healthy dose of information. Find on Facebook and follow on Twitter. Sign up for the DOH blog, Public Health Connection.
Information provided by the Washington State Department of Health.
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The DOH has pushed adult doses of emergency use authorization Pfizer vaccine for children and teens 12 years old and up. Children and teens in WA state and the US have suffered serious health declines, and some have died after COVID vaccination.
The Clark County Health Department has promoted these Emergency Authorization Pfizer products for minor teens 16 and up, without parental permission required at public health clinics open to all ages of the public. Information to consider:
Pediatrician: Data Is ‘Irrefutable’ — COVID Vaccines Are Dangerous for Kids
Kids’ Risk of Severe Reaction to Pfizer Shot 4 Times Greater Than Risk of Needing Oxygen Therapy, Singapore Data ShowA New England Journal of Medicine study involving more than a quarter million children ages 5 to 11 raises serious questions about the risk-benefit analysis for vaccinating young children
CDC Drops Quarantine, Distancing Recommendations, as 1.3 Million COVID Vaccine Injuries Reported to VAERSVAERS data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show 1,379,438 reports of adverse events from all age groups following COVID-19 vaccines, including 30,162 deaths and 251,075 serious injuries between Dec. 14, 2020, and Aug. 5, 2022. Read full article at link for a breakdown on some of the health declines reported.
5 Facts to Consider Before Vaccinating Kids for COVID