Positive Cases at K-12 Schools Continue to Rise

With cases and outbreaks remaining high and many opportunities over the Memorial Day Holiday to gather, staff, students, and their families are encouraged to layer in safety measures to prevent spreading COVID-19 at schools when they return.

The number of cases among students and staff has more than doubled in one month. For the week ending May 15, there were a total of 5,918 positive cases at schools across the county, of which 4,723 were among students and 1,195 among staff. A month prior, for the week ending April 17, there were 2,742 positive cases, of which 2,159 were among students and 583 among staff.

While transmission in the community remains high, it is important to layer in additional protective measures, especially when gathering for end-of-school year events, to keep school communities as safe as possible. Public Health urges everyone to wear a well-fitting mask when indoors, especially at any indoor school or sporting events. Those attending large celebratory school events should test before attending, and if positive for COVID, remain home away from others.

With vaccinations providing the best protection against illness and hospitalizations, parents are urged to make sure that they and their children are up-to-date on their vaccinations and boosters. Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved a single booster dose for children ages five through 11 years of age, at least five months after completing a primary series.  

For information, go to VaccinateLACounty.com or VacunateLosAngeles.com (Spanish) and go to the How to Get Vaccinated webpage, or call 833-540-0473 between 8 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. seven days a week.

Additionally, with Memorial Day and the start of the summer travel season the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends that you get a COVID-19 test as close to the time of your departure as possible, regardless of your vaccination status. The test should be taken no more than three days before your departure.

The CDC also recommends that you test after travel if your trip involved situations with greater risk of exposure. Students and staff who traveled or gathered with many other people during the holiday break are encouraged to test themselves before heading back to school next Tuesday.

Details:  www.publichealth.lacounty.gov