Currently, King County continues to be in the “Low Transmission” level (less than 200 new cases per 100,000 people over a 7-day period). Although the numbers are currently low, you’ve probably heard that COVID-19 is here to stay. We would like to remind our community to continue to utilize multiple mitigation strategies (vaccination, ventilation, staying home when sick, testing, and masking when needed) as summer comes to an end, and we’re all headed indoors during the colder months. Thank you for your continued commitment to the health and safety of our St. John community!
If you missed the updated Covid guidance for this school year, you can find it here.
COVID Weekly Data Dashboard (9/1-9/8)
- Students Tested Positive (grades PreK-8): 1
- Staff (School and XDC) Tested Positive: 0
What should I do if my student has a sibling and/or household family member who tests positive for COVID?
For students who have a household member who tests positive for COVID, there is no requirement to quarantine, and the student(s) can continue to come to school. However, the following is recommended:
- Test with a rapid antigen test every 24-48 hours until 5 days after the positive household member’s isolation has ended
- Monitor for symptoms
- Keep student(s) home if they develop any symptoms
- Masking is not required.
- However, masking is recommended for 10 days after exposure IF the student spends time indoors with anyone who is at risk of getting very sick with COVID-19.
The school has an abundance of rapid test kits available for families to pick up from Mrs. Q. in the main office.
Updated COVID-19 Boosters Now Available
On September 1, 2022, the CDC issued new recommendations for COVID-19 boosters following FDA authorization for updated booster formulas. What does this mean?
- The CDC recommends that everyone who is eligible stay up-to-date on vaccinations by getting an updated booster dose at least 2 months after their last COVID-19 shot (either booster or primary series).
- The updated booster is approved for people age 12 and older.
- The new booster contains an updated “bivalent formula,” which means it boosts immunity against the original coronavirus strain and also protects against the newer Omicron variants that account for most of the current cases.
To find a vaccination clinic near you: https://vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov
For additional information regarding the updated boosters, please see Public Health – Seattle & King County Public Health’s recent blog post for more information.
