Public health officials and school administrators are becoming close colleagues during this Covid pandemic. School districts are relying on advice about reopening classrooms that’s offered by health authorities. The health districts are relying on schools for information about students.
When health issues arise in schools, particularly with something contagious, school districts often turn to health authorities, such as Spokane County Health Officer Bob Lutz.
“Johnny is ill and we are the ones contacting the family, contacting the family members, contacting other students in the classroom, letting them know that they may have been exposed and that they should go in to see their provider," Lutz said.
It’s logical that the health district provides the same services with coronavirus. Superintendents, such as Spokane’s Adam Swinyard, have asked Lutz’s office for help deciphering and complying with the state Department of Health’s back-to-school mandates. During a recent webinar with parents, Swinyard said he hopes it won’t be long before Lutz endorses allowing students back in classrooms.
“We’re going to do that when the time is right, based on the guidance and recommendations of public health officials. We’ll do it slowly and methodically, making sure we can adhere to very strict protocols that have been laid out for us," he said.
Swinyard is one of several Spokane area superintendents referring to health district guidance in explaining to parents why students will be staying home to start the academic year.
Lutz says, in the case of coronavirus, the relationship between health and school districts has changed to become more of a collaboration.
“It really needs to be the school districts identifying what we’re calling a Covid coordinator. We’re asking them to keep class lists so you know that if the students are cohorted, so they’re meeting with the same students every class every day, you know who the students are and you know where these students are seated," he said.
That makes it easier for health officials to track the virus if someone tests positive.
When that happens, Lutz says the school district has the responsibility to communicate with its staff, students, parents and the health district. The health district makes the decision whether to quarantine classrooms and close schools.
“We say this is what you need to do and this is where the authority of the health officer, the authority of the health district, with respect to controlling communicable diseases, that’s where we have this authority to weigh in and say you need to do this now," Lutz said.
Several districts, including Spokane and Central Valley, are opening with all distance learning, beginning next month. A few, including Mead and Deer Park, are offering parents the option of in-person school, something Lutz does not yet endorse.