Seattle Public Schools Board approves reopening plan for fall May 27, 2021 at 10:29 am
Students leave Thurgood Marshall Elementary after all Seattle Public Schools were closed due to coronavirus fears on March 11, 2020, in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
The school board for the state’s largest school district, Seattle Public Schools, voted to approve a temporary safety plan for fully resuming in-person classes this fall.
Some of the proposed changes will include removing daily health screenings for students, staff, and visitors, moving to three feet of social distancing instead of six feet in order to accommodate more students in classrooms, additional staffing, and continuing to require masks.
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Washington officials hopeful COVID-19 vaccination rates will allow for early reopening
If more than 70% of those 16 and older receive at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, the state could fully reopen. Vaccinations are currently at nearly 60%. Author: Drew Mikkelsen Updated: 6:43 PM PDT May 24, 2021
TACOMA, Wash. Gov. Jay Inslee said Washington state should be able to fully reopen June 30, or sooner, if more than 70% of those 16 and older receive at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
“DOH is hopeful that we’ll reach the 70% vaccination goal,” said Washington State Department of Health (DOH) spokesperson Julie Grauert on Monday.
According to data from the DOH, last updated May 19, approximately 60% of those 16 and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine. Those numbers are expected to be updated late Monday, Grauert said.
18 Cases of Heart Inflammation After COVID-19 Vaccination Reported in Connecticut
A single state has recorded 18 cases of myocarditis in people who received a COVID-19 vaccine. All of the cases in Connecticut required hospitalization.
Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Deirdre Gifford told reporters during a virtual press briefing on Monday that the cases have been “rare” and “mild.”
But she added later when asked how many of the patients were hospitalized, “All of the cases that were reported to us were individuals that were hospitalized, the vast majority for a couple of days.”
“One individual that we’re aware of is still hospitalized. The other 17 have been sent home and they’re doing fine,” she said.
My grandmother would store wads of cash in her box springs because, as a child of the Great Depression, she couldn’t trust the banks. I see my children now worried about being indoors without masks. My six-year old isn’t able to feel fully comfortable eating inside a restaurant, even one with open-air ventilation, social distancing, and reduced occupancy. I suspect she’s not alone. The traumas we experience together can linger with us longer than we think.
COVID isn’t going away. It’s endemic and will remain with us. So, we should be intentional about trusting our vaccines and our mitigation strategies while also taking appropriate risks to re-enter normal social settings and engagements.