Oct. 22, 2021
Dear Superintendents and School Leaders,

I am writing with several updates since my last message.

Changes to Contact Tracing
As I shared last week, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Safe Schools for All Team has announced revisions and additions to its K-12 Schools Guidance 2021-2022 Questions & Answers on contact tracing.

Based on new guidance from the CDPH, the County of San Diego has advised that schools do not need to identify every encounter when contact tracing in unstructured outdoor settings.

In contact tracing, schools should focus on:
  • Encounters in indoor and enclosed outdoor spaces (such as three-or-more-sided tents) 
  • Structured outdoor settings (e.g., P.E., athletics, band, before- and after-school programs)
  • A structured setting is any setting in which an adult is responsible for a roster of students who are specifically assigned to them.
  • The people the student normally associates with, including time spent within 6 feet in unstructured outdoor settings

We will add this new guidance around contact tracing to the frequently asked questions section of the COVID-19 Decision Tree, and will notify you when the document is revised.

CIF Position on Face Covering Guidance for Indoor Sports
The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) released a statement today supporting the position that all CIF member schools should have the option to adhere to one of two alternatives in place of wearing a mask in all indoor sports other than those specifically mentioned by the American Academy of Pediatrics:
  1. Conduct these activities outdoors, or
  2. Perform at least weekly screening testing with either PCR testing (1:1 or pooled PCR) or antigen testing of all individuals, including those who are fully vaccinated

We will share information on how the county will interpret the statement and enforce face covering guidance for indoor sports when the County of San Diego has completed its review of the issue.

Booster Shots Now Available for School Employees Vaccinated with Moderna or Johnson & Johnson
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approved Thursday COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for people who were initially vaccinated with the Moderna and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccines. The CDC previously approved booster shots for people who were initially vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine.

San Diego County is directing those who wish to get booster shots to begin with their health care provider or local pharmacy. Should that not be an option, the county is continuing to operate vaccination sites across the region.

The San Diego County Office of Education has prepared this template letter in English and Spanish for your use in communicating with school employees about the new recommendation.

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

Sincerely,
Paul

Dr. Paul Gothold
San Diego County Superintendent of Schools
phone: 858-295-6641