WA Schools Have Seen 'Relatively Small' Outbreaks: DOH Report

OLYMPIA, WA — A recent study from the Washington State Department of Health is shedding some light on how COVID-19 outbreaks are impacting local schools.

For their report, the DOH looked at schools that experienced an outbreak between Aug. 1 and Sept. 30, 2021. Some notable findings from the report include:

• Just 6 percent of Washington schools have experienced a COVID-19 outbreak.
• Only 18 of Washington's 39 counties have had an outbreak in a school setting.
• There have been 189 total COVID outbreaks in all K-12 schools across Washington.
  • 42 were in August. 147 were in September.
  • 167 were in public schools, 22 outbreaks happened at private schools.
  • 120 were in grade schools, 48 were in middle schools and 55 were in high schools.
• The median outbreak involved just five people.

Health officials say, that's encouraging news, and it likely supports the state's COVID-19 safety protocols requiring universal mask use and safe social distancing on school grounds.

“While we never want to see an outbreak occur in a school setting, the relatively small size of outbreaks is an indication that schools are working very hard to respond when there are cases among students, teachers, and staff,” said Lacy Fehrenbach, MPH, Deputy Secretary of Health, COVID-19 Response.

Other recent developments have DOH leaders expressing hope that outbreaks will become even rarer in the future. Thursday, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction announced that nearly 90 percent of all school staff are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Plus, health leaders expect the FDA, CDC and state leaders to authorize the use of the Pfizer vaccine in kids 5-11 by late next week, which they hope will only make schools safer.

“Getting young children vaccinated as soon as we are able will add the strongest protection possible," Fehrenbach said. "Everyone who is able to get vaccinated should do so now to offer protection to young kids who are not yet eligible.”

Currently, 49 percent of Washington's 12 to 15-year-olds are fully vaccinated, as are 55 percent of kids ages 16 and 17.