COVID Schools: Alameda County Aligns With State Guidelines On Reopening Classrooms
OAKLAND (CBS SF) – Health officials in Alameda County announced that they are aligning with the state's guidance on reopening classrooms to in-person learning, as the winter surge in COVID-19 cases begins to recede.
Officials said while the county is in the Purple Tier, classes in grades TK through 6 would be allowed to open once the adjusted case rate is below 25 per 100,000 for five consecutive days. As of January 26, the case rate was at 28.9. Alameda, like much of the state, re-entered Purple Tier restrictions after the state lifted its stay-at-home order on Monday.
Classes in grades 7 through 12 are not allowed to reopen until the county is in the Red Tier for five consecutive days.
Before reopening, schools must complete and publicly post their COVID-19 safety plans (CSP) and must receive approval from the Public Health Department. Public school districts must also submit their plans to the Alameda County Office of Education.
"Schools and school districts have been preparing for the return of in-classroom learning for months and with the number of daily new cases on the decline in Alameda County, schools should submit their CSPs as soon as they determine they are ready to reopen classrooms," health officer Dr. Nicholas Moss said Thursday.
Schools that have already opened for in-person learning must complete and publicly post their COVID-19 safety plans by February 1.
