More Olympia school grades set for hybrid learning; county adds 22 COVID-19 cases
More Olympia students are set to return to the classroom, the district announced this week.
Olympia School District says grades 3-5 will begin hybrid learning on Monday, followed by hybrid learning for sixth graders on March 15. The hybrid approach combines two days of in-person instruction with three days of online learning.
Parents also have the option of continuing with 100 percent remote instruction.
As COVID-19 transmission rates fall — Thurston County announced 22 cases on Thursday — area school districts have opened doors to more students. North Thurston Public Schools is set to serve grades 3-4 on March 3 and fifth graders on March 10.
Tumwater schools rolled out hybrid learning plans for grades 3-6 in mid-February.
Meanwhile, the county announced 22 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, increasing the weekly total to 78 and the overall total to 7,158 cases.
Thursday’s cases include 10 people in their 20s, the age group here that has produced the highest number of cases. Those 20-29 account for more than 1,500 cases, or 21 percent of the overall total.
Of that total, 6,402 people have recovered or are recovering from the virus, 340 have been hospitalized at some point during their illness and 66 have died. The county is still reporting five COVID-19 outbreaks at area congregate care settings.
IN THE REGION
▪ Pierce County reported 150 new COVID-19 cases and three new deaths on Thursday. The new data brings its totals to 36,019 cases and 460 deaths.
▪ Grays Harbor County reported 3,293 confirmed and probable cases and 45 deaths as of Wednesday.
▪ Lewis County Public Health & Social Services added eight new cases and eight deaths Thursday. In all, the county has reported 3,222 cases and 50 deaths.
▪ Mason County reported three new COVID-19 cases Thursday, bringing its total to 1,682 cases with 23 deaths.
▪ Pacific County has reported a total of 741 positive cases with 10 deaths as of Wednesday.
AROUND THE STATE, NATION AND WORLD
The state Department of Health has reported 337,653 cases and 4,942 deaths as of Thursday.
In the U.S., more than 28.4 million cases have been reported as of Thursday with more than 508,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
Globally, more than 112 million cases have been reported and 2.5 million people have died as of Thursday.
This story was originally published February 25, 2021 at 4:49 PM.
