I am writing with several updates since my last message.

The Nov. 24 update to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools in California, 2021-22 School Year added an item (16) that provides alternatives to masking for students while they are actively participating in indoor athletic programs during periods of heavy exertion or actively using musical instruments that cannot be played while wearing a face cover. Many have asked if these alternatives can be used for school dance, vocal music, and theater programs. According to the CDPH, the alternatives described in the guidance are narrow exceptions that are not available to dance, vocal music, or theater programs. For a more complete discussion of this topic, please review the slides presented by Bob Mueller, the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) assistant incident commander for COVID-19 response, at the County of San Diego’s last K-12 education sector telebriefing.

The SDCOE Visual and Performing Arts team has also updated its Arts & COVID-19 support document, recognizing that schools may have questions around safely engaging in the visual and performing as we approach the time of year when more performances and exhibitions tend to occur.

We’ve made a few changes to our COVID-19 decision tree resources to make it easier to find the answers you’re looking for.

It has come to our attention that some San Diego County school districts received a letter from the Let Them Breathe organization dated Nov. 19, outlining a recent decision in the matter of Let Them Breathe v. Newsom. Let Them Breathe initiated the case to challenge the CDPH mask mandate and COVID-19 quarantine and testing recommendations for K-12 schools.

The SDCOE Legal Services team has created this brief summary to help schools understand the ruling.

As you may have heard, yesterday the Food and Drug Administration gave emergency authorization for 16- and 17-year-olds to get a third dose of the vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech — once they’re six months past their last dose. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention subsequently expanded its recommendations for the COVID-19 vaccine booster shot to now include everyone age 16 and older.

The SDCOE Communications team has prepared this template letter in English and Spanish for your use in communicating with teens and their families about the new recommendation.

This week the federal government issued a safe schools checklist subtitled How to Get Your School Community Vaccinated and Maintain Safe, In-Person Learning All Year Long. The document is part of a campaign to increase vaccine confidence while reinforcing basic prevention measures.

Thank you for all that you do. As always, please reach out if you have any questions.

email: paul.gothold@sdcoe.net