Alameda County has not updated its COVID Cases and Deaths dashboard since Jan. 10, citing a need to more accurately “match” state data. We do have updated school information as of Jan. 18:
PUSD received 33 new reports of COVID cases among students and staff during the week of Jan. 11 – 14 according to PUSD’s Director of Communications Brian Killgore. He said attendance last Thursday and Friday was just under 90% where it would normally be around 98% for this time of year.
Vaccination-wise, Killgore says that currently just under 97% of all PUSD students are vaccinated — just under 99% of secondary students and 94.5% elementary school students are vaccinated.
Masks redux
On Tuesday, Superintendent Randy Booker sent an email to school families upholding its outdoor mask requirement for elementary students and reinstating it for secondary school students until the latest COVID surge abates:
As promised, the District consulted with the District’s Health & Safety Steering Committee on January 13th, and after a discussion with its membership that includes several local health professionals, has made the following decisions:
* Due to the current surge in COVID cases throughout the District, the outdoor mask requirement for elementary students will remain in place. We will continue to monitor conditions and revisit the need for the requirement at the Committee’s next meeting on Wednesday, January 26th.
* In addition, until indications are that the surge has peaked and the number of COVID cases within the District are in decline, the outdoor masking requirement for secondary students and staff will be temporarily reinstated effective Wednesday, January 19th. The requirement also applies to family members while on campus during pickup/dropoff, or visiting during the day This decision will also be revisited at the Committee’s January 26th meeting.
Other COVID news you can use
On Tuesday, the federal government launched a website for every family in the U.S. to order four free COVID tests. The website says they will ship in seven – 12 days. Sign up HERE.