Appreciation

As the school year ends, we thank you—our school partners—for being superstars!

For being adaptable, flexible and resourceful.

For your perseverance and diligence in helping keep students and staff healthy.

For helping your students, staff, and families navigate a pandemic for the third year in a row.

For offering high-quality education to students in challenging public health environments.

THANK YOU, SCHOOL PARTNERS!

Farewell to the COVID-19 Schools Newsletter. Hello to more info from us!

This is the last issue of our COVID-19 Schools Update. Future issues will include information on public health topics that affect public and private schools in Pierce County. Expect a back-to-school issue in August.

Summer contacts

For COVID-related questions, please contact your outbreak investigator or email us at COVIDSchoolsTaskforce@tpchd.org.

For other school-related questions, contact Michele Haymond at mhaymond@tpchd.org.

COVID-19 County metrics

See the latest COVID-19 data at tpchd.org/covid19cases. Updates every Thursday.

COVID-19 Guidance

On May 30, 2023, Washington State Department of Health (DOH) updated DOH K-12 guidance and summarized the updates at that same link.

DOH states: “It is not the intention of DOH that K-12 schools change any policies or practices between the release of the updated guidance and the end of the school year. There is no expectation that K-12 schools review and implement any guidance changes prior to the end of the 2022/2023 school year.”

COVID-19 Testing

• We highly encourage testing when symptomatic or when exposed to someone with COVID. 
• Visit our testing page to register, or to find locations with varying hours and test options.
• Testing guidance from Learn to Return/Health Commons Project:
  • RN or RN-delegated activities for onsite point of care (POC) testing for schools that choose to use this option.
  • 2023 COVID-19 Testing Toolkit for Schools.

COVID-19 Vaccines

• COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. They are our best protection against severe disease, hospitalization, and death.
  • Everyone 6 months and older, if eligible, can receive an updated (bivalent) COVID-19 vaccine. The updated vaccine may offer more protection against COVID-19 as it targets both the original COVID-19 strain and the current circulating strains BA.4 and BA.5 (Omicron).
  • For young children, multiple doses continue to be recommended and will vary by age, vaccine, and which vaccines were previously received.

COVID-19 vaccine resources for families

• Find COVID vaccines at tpchd.org/vaxtothefuture or https://www.vaccines.gov/.
• You can check if you or your child is up to date on COVID-19 vaccine at the CDC Stay Up to Date Page.

• Find info from DOH:
  • Vaccinating Youth.
  • Pediatric COVID vaccine flyer.

Pediatric vaccine clinics

Asia Pacific Cultural Center

3513 Portland Ave. East, Tacoma, WA 98404

(This is a new, temporary address while the center is under renovation).

2 p.m.-6 p.m.

June 14, June 21, June 28

July 5, July 12, July 19, July 26

Aug. 2

Eastside Community Center, 1721 E 56^th St, Tacoma WA 98404

Noon-4 p.m.

June 9, June 23

July 7                

Lakewood Towne Center – Static Site

Noon-6 p.m.

Every Saturday through Sept. 27, 2023

COVID-19 and other adolescent vaccines (Tdap, HPV, Meningococcal).

People’s Center

1602 MLK Jr. Way, Tacoma WA 98405

3 p.m.-7 p.m.

June 16

July 14

Aug. 11, Aug. 25 

Resurrection Lutheran Church

4301 Browns Point Blvd., Tacoma WA 98422

Noon-6 p.m.

July 11

Aug. 1

Sumner United Methodist Church

901 Wood Ave., Sumner, WA 98390

Noon-6 p.m.

June 15

July 6, July 27