This is the weekly COVID-19 update for Friday, October 29. It includes some news on the vaccine and other important reminders. You can find updates in our COVID-19 Update Center at any time.
This week’s updates:
- On Friday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to11. It will still need to be approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), who meets next week to discuss the issue. We will be hosting vaccine clinics at Euclid and Indian Grove and will send further details once it is approved for the younger age group.
- The flu vaccine is recommended for all individuals aged six months and older. Flu symptoms are similar to COVID symptoms, so avoiding the flu is not only beneficial for the obvious health reasons, but can also allow your child to avoid being quarantined. The CDC says getting the COVID and flu shots at the same time is safe and effective in preventing both illnesses.
- As the weather gets colder, please remind your child to dress for being outside. We would like to continue holding P.E. and recess outdoors as often as possible for mitigation purposes.
- Local health officials continue to advise anyone who is unvaccinated to avoid travel.
- Saliva testing continues on Wednesdays at each of our schools for unvaccinated students. There could be delays of up to 48 hours in receiving results due to SHIELD’s high volume of testing around the state. You will only be notified if your child tests positive, but can also access your child’s test results by signing up for the SHIELD portal.
- Please continue to be diligent about keeping your child home from school if they are not feeling well. Even if symptoms are mild, or possibly unrelated to COVID, erring on the side of caution will help keep everyone healthy.
- Our COVID-19 dashboard is updated daily with the number of students and staff who test positive or are in quarantine due to exposure.
We’ll continue to send updates throughout the week when necessary, including when there is vaccination news. Do not hesitate to call either the district office or your school if you have any questions.