Responding to COVID-19 Cases or Symptoms

Posted: April 21, 2022 | Updated: June 6, 2022

Summary: SPS will continue to monitor COVID-19 rates in our schools and will be ready to adjust if necessary.

An illustration of four students, two wear masks two do not

Seattle Public Schools COVID-19 Response Updates

Department of Health Symptoms and Exposure Chart

We encourage you to review the new DOH What to do if a Person is Symptomatic flow chartfor more information.

This DOH flowchart ‘What to do if a Person is Symptomatic’ is available in additional languages.

If You Test Positive for COVID-19

Stay home for a minimum of 5 days and until your symptoms have significantly improved.   

Notify your school .

Seattle Public Schools Layers of Mitigation

Masking and quarantine protocols have changed, but other layers of protection remain in place including:

Vaccines: Vaccine and booster access
Symptoms: Students, staff, and visitors must stay home when they have symptoms of COVID
School Health Care Rooms: Protected health care rooms
COVID Testing: COVID-19 testing opportunities
Masks: Masks for students and staff, who want to continue masking
Air Quality: Increased air ventilation (HVAC) and air quality testing

Masking Updates: Masks are now optional in most indoor and outdoor Seattle Public Schools spaces including on yellow school buses. It is because of our collective efforts that we are now at this community turning point. This was a big change, and we recognize the emotion that is involved. We thank you for being patient and for respecting the masking choices of others.

COVID-19 Exposure Updates: Another important change to be aware of is per the Department of Health (DOH), students and staff who have been exposed to someone confirmed with COVID-19 status are no longer required to quarantine, but should continue to monitor for symptoms. Anyone with COVID symptoms must stay home. Testing will continue to be offered at your student’s school.

Exposure notification: To be aligned with revised DOH guidance, only high-risk individuals will be directly notified of potential exposure. All other students and staff will receive a general notification. Read more about SPS exposure notification.

Individuals including children with obesity, diabetes, asthma, or who are immunocompromised can be at increased risk of getting sick from COVID-19. Visit CDC to learn more about medical conditions that increase the risk of COVID-19 severity.

We are pleased that COVID-19 cases continue to fall in SPS schools and remain optimistic. However, there may be times when we will need to bring back effective mitigations, including required universal masking, if there is an increase of COVID-19 in a classroom or school wide. SPS will continue to monitor COVID-19 rates in our schools and will be ready to adjust if necessary.

Thank you for your continued partnership and commitment to our school community and our students.