SPOKANE, Wash. – Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) is urging schools in the county to tighten down COVID-19 precautions at big events due to the recent surge in new COVID-19 cases.
SRHD warned that school gatherings with a large attendance can act as super-spreader events and put a strain on the school system, especially when their seeing abnormally high transmission rates of COVID-19 in the community.
The health district specifically asks schools to:
Cancel or postpone large school events until case rates become stable, preferably in mid to late FebruaryRequire attendees to show proof of vaccination and/or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hoursClose food concessions to keep further close contact at a minimum
SRHD said the Omicron variant appears to be the dominant strain present in Spokane County and is driving this latest surge.
“Case rates in Spokane County continue to increase and have yet to stabilize. Additionally, large outbreaks of the virus could place an additional strain on hospitals and healthcare facilities,” SRHD said in a release.
Some schools in the area are already feeling the affects of the surge. Mead School District said Monday they have cases in most of their schools and decided to put sports events on hold until more testing supplies arrive from the state.
