Trinity County Guidance for Reopening Schools

Press release from Trinity County:

Governor Newsom has provided updated guidance and requirement to safely open schools, as well as the threshold data for containing any outbreaks in schools. This guidance includes masking requirements and other protections for students and staff, health screening, and distance learning plans to ensure equity.

Specific Re-Opening Criteria and mitigation guidance include the following:

In-Person Re- Opening Criteria

Schools and school districts may reopen for in-person instruction at any time if they are located in a local health jurisdiction (LHJ) that has not been on the county monitoring list within the prior 14 days.

If the LHJ has been on the monitoring list within the last 14 days, the school must conduct distance learning only, until their LHJ has been off the monitoring list for at least 14 days.

o A waiver of this criteria may be granted by the local health officer for elementary schools to open for in-person instruction. A waiver may only be granted if one is requested by the superintendent (or equivalent for charter or private schools), in consultation with labor, parent and community organizations. Local health officers must review local community epidemiological data, consider other public health interventions, and consult with CDPH when considering a waiver request.

Guidance Once Re-Opened to In-Person Instruction

How should schools think about testing?

Once schools are re-opened to at least some in-person instruction, it is recommended that surveillance testing be implemented based on the local disease trends. If epidemiological data indicates concern for increasing community transmission, schools should increase testing of staff to detect potential cases as lab testing capacity allows.

Who should be tested and how often?

School staff are essential workers, and staff includes teachers, para-professionals, cafeteria workers, janitors, bus drivers, or any other school employee that may have contact with students or other staff. School districts and schools shall test staff periodically, as testing capacity permits and as practicable. Examples of recommended frequency include testing all staff over 2 months, where 25% of staff are tested every 2 weeks, or 50% every month to rotate testing of all staff over time.

What if a school or school district reopens to in-person instruction, but the county is later placed on the county monitoring list?

Schools should begin testing staff, or increase frequency of staff testing but are not required to close.

Guidance on School Closure

What are the criteria for closing a school?

Individual school closure is recommended based on the number of cases, the percentage of the teacher/students/staff that are positive for COVID-19, and following consultation with the Local Health Officer. Individual school closure may be appropriate when there are multiple cases in multiple cohorts at a school or when at least 5 percent of the total number of teachers/student/staff are cases within a 14-day period, depending on the size and physical layout of the school.

The Local Health Officer may also determine school closure is warranted for other reasons, including results from public health investigation or other local epidemiological data.

If a school is closed for in-person learning, when may it reopen?

Schools may typically reopen after 14 days and the following have occurred:

• Cleaning and disinfection

• Public health investigation

• Consultation with the local public health department

What are the criteria for closing a school district?

A superintendent should close a school district if 25% or more of schools in a district have closed due to COVID-19 within 14 days, and in consultation with the local public health department.

If a school district is closed, when may it reopen?

Districts may typically reopen after 14 days, in consultation with the local public health department.

Trinity County Public Health Branch (TCPHB), Environmental Health (EH), and Office of Emergency Services (OES) in Trinity County are actively engaging the School Districts Liaison in the development of a robust Health and Safety Plan to ensure effective measures to protect students and staff.

With that said, as a community, we all have a roll in the ability of schools to provide the important in-class learning that our children so desperately need. For this reason we ask that all members of the public and business owners follow the State Health Officer Orders:

• Dine-in restaurants must close indoor seating to customers. During this closure all dine-in restaurants may continue to utilize outdoor seating and must comply with the guidance for outdoor dining. Restaurants should continue to encourage takeout and delivery service whenever possible.

• Wineries and tasting rooms must close indoor services to customers. During this closure all wineries and tasting rooms operating outdoors must comply with the guidance for restaurants, wineries, and bars.

• Family entertainment centers and movie theaters must close indoor services and attractions to customers. Family entertainment centers may continue to provide outdoor services and attractions to customers, and must comply with the guidance for movie theaters and family entertainment centers.

• Indoor attractions at zoos and museums must close to visitors. Zoos and museums may continue to operate outdoor attractions and

must follow the guidance for zoos and museums.

• Bars, Pubs, brewpubs, and breweries, whether operating indoors or outdoors, shall be closed across the state, unless an exception below applies:

• • Bars, pubs, brewpubs, and breweries, may operate outdoors if they are offering sit-down, outdoor, dine-in meals. Alcohol can be sold only in the same transaction as a meal. When operating outdoors, they must follow the restaurant guidance and should continue to encourage takeout and delivery service whenever possible.

• • Bars, pubs, brewpubs, and breweries that do not provide sit-down meals themselves, but contract with another vendor to do so, can serve dine-in meals when operating outdoors provided both businesses follow the restaurant guidance and alcohol is sold only in the same transaction as a meal.

• • Venues that are currently authorized to provide off sale beer, wine, and spirits to be consumed off premises and do not offer sit-down, dine-in meals must follow the guidance for retail operations and offer curbside sales only.

• • Concert, performance, or entertainment venues must remain closed until they are allowed to resume modified or full operation through a specific reopening order or guidance. Establishments that serve full meals must discontinue this type of entertainment until these types of activities are allowed to resume.

• People in California must wear face coverings when:

• • Inside of, or in line to enter, any indoor public space, unless exempted by state guidelines for specific public settings such as schools and childcare centers;

• • Obtaining services from the healthcare sector in settings including, but not limited to, a hospital, pharmacy, medical clinic, laboratory, physician or dental office, veterinary clinic, or blood bank unless directed otherwise be an employee or healthcare provider;

• • Waiting for or riding on public transportation or paratransit or while in a taxi, private car service, or ride-sharing vehicle;

• • • Engaged in work, whether at the workplace or performing work off- site, when:

    • Interacting in-person with any member of the public;

    • Working in any space visited by members of the public, regardless of whether anyone from the public is present at the time;

    • Working in any space where food is prepared or packaged for sale or distribution to others;

    • Working in or walking through common areas, such as hallways, stairways, elevators, and parking facilities;

    • In any room or enclosed area where other people (except for members of the person’s own household or residence) are present when unable to physically distance.

• • Driving or operating any public transportation or paratransit vehicle, taxi or private car service or ride-sharing vehicle when passengers are present. When no passengers are present, face coverings are strongly recommended.

• • While outdoors in public spaces when maintaining a physical distance of six (6) feet from persons who are not members of the same household or residence is not feasible.

• • Persons exempted from wearing a face covering due to a medical condition who are employed in a job involving regular contact with others should wear a non-restrictive alternative, such as a face shield with a drape on the bottom edge, as long as their condition permits it.

Please continue to adhere to all of the practices that help prevent the spread of COVID-19 including staying home if ill, frequent handwashing and sanitizing surfaces, use of face coverings when in public.

Please go to trinitycounty.org for more information.