Thurston health officer: Schools can plan to expand in-person classes as soon as Jan. 25
The Thurston County Health Officer is advising schools that they can plan to safely phase in expanded in-person learning for some students as soon as Jan. 25.
In a Friday letter to the community, Health Officer Dr. Dimyana Abdelmalek notified the schools that the county remains in the moderate COVID-19 activity range with 236.2 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 over the last weeks.
The moderate range is defined as a rate between 50 and 350 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people over two weeks, according to state guidelines release Dec. 16. Under these guidelines, counties in the moderate range are encouraged to phase in in-person learning starting with the youngest students or those with the highest need.
In a Jan. 5 letter, Abdelmalek wrote she would consider recommending in-person learning for elementary and middle school students in accordance with state guidelines three weeks after the holidays. She previously recommended a move to distance learning on Nov. 6, citing high and increasing transmission rates at the time.
Abdelmalek wrote in her Friday letter that she has been cautious with this recommendation because public health officials across the state projected an increase in cases and hospitalizations this month, following the holidays.
She expects the impact of any post-holiday peak to be evident next week, according to the letter, so she expects to provide an update on her recommendation on Jan. 21. Whatever her recommendation, it will be up to the school districts to decide when to expand in-person learning.
“I have heard from many educators as well as student families who are worried and fearful of either going back to school too soon or not quickly enough,” Abdelmalek wrote. “I take my duty to protect the health of everyone who works and learns in our schools from contagious diseases very seriously and this is at the heart of every recommendation I have given.”
If transmission rates eventually decline bellow 200 cases per 100,000 over two weeks, Abdelmalek wrote, she would also consider recommending high school students return to in-person learning.
Though transmission rates remain a cause for concern, Abdelmalek wrote that she has read studies that show some countermeasures can be highly effective at limiting transmission. Such measures include grouping students into cohorts, screening for symptoms, contact tracing, mask wearing, physical distancing, hand washing and adequate ventilation, according to the letter.
In her letter, Abdelmalek also affirmed that Thurston County Public Health and Social Services has the capacity to monitor community spread, investigate confirmed COVID-19 cases, and respond to any outbreaks.
