The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention unveiled guidelines for vaccinated students and staff this fall, stating those who are vaccinated can drop the mask. People who are not vaccinated are still being asked to mask up.
Under current requirements just updated July 6, all in K-12 Washington state public schools will still be required to wear a mask this fall. A spokesperson with the state’s Department of Health said the CDC’s new guidance is being evaluated.
“DOH is intending to review the updated CDC guidance and provide a comprehensive update to their K–12 guidance in the coming weeks, but we do not know what changes will be included,” said Katy Payne, the communications director for the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).
The CDC’s new guidelines also indicated schools “should implement physical distancing to the extent possible within their structures” of ideally “at least 3 feet of physical distance between students within classrooms.” However, the CDC emphasized a full return to school for all students should be prioritized, and students should not be excluded from the classroom in order to meet the distancing recommendations.
Dr. Elizabeth Mead, medical director of pediatric quality at Swedish, said the change in guidance makes sense but warns that with the delta variant circulating, it’s important to be nimble.
“Thankfully, this is something we can change on a dime. So if we have new information or new variants emerge, it is really easy to say to folks back in school, ‘OK, it’s time to start wearing masks again,’” Meade said. “Remember, recommendations can change. Transmissibility can change. How sick it makes you can change,” she said.
Meade said we also need to carefully watch studies investigating how much protection the vaccines provide against the delta variant.
“I am concerned. I think there’s been variable information about how effective the vaccines are (against the delta variant). Some studies have said Pfizer is 60%; others have said 80%-85% effective. So I think we just need more data,” Meade said.
But Meade also believes a full return to the classroom should be prioritized and said the variant should not prevent students from learning in person this fall.
“We just have to see what strategies we need to use,” Meade said. “We were able to do at successfully at the end of last school year.”
Some parents and students KIRO 7 spoke with said the vaccine should be mandatory for students this fall.
OSPI stated that will not be happening this coming school year. It’s something that the State Board of Health may formally consider in the future after the Food and Drug Administration approves the COVID-19 vaccines. But right now, the vaccines are still only authorized for emergency use.
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