Dear Superintendents and School Leaders,
I'm writing with updates on several COVID-19-related items that have arisen since my last message.
Workplace Guidance to Change This Week
According to The Sacramento Bee, pending a vote from the Cal/OSHA board, Gov. Gavin Newsom will issue an executive order Thursday codifying the state’s new COVID-19 workplace safety rule. The rule lets fully vaccinated California workers not wear masks at work and also ends social distancing. Those not vaccinated will still have to wear masks when working indoors or in vehicles.
- Physical distancing was addressed as a separate section in the ETS, but in this version, it is included in just a few provisions related to employees who are not fully vaccinated:
- “Any employee not wearing a face covering…, and not wearing a non-restrictive alternative when allowed…, shall be at least six feet apart from all other persons unless the unmasked employee is either fully vaccinated or tested at least weekly for COVID-19 during paid time and at no cost to the employee…”
- Respirators – The following requirement is new:
- “Upon request, employers shall provide respirators for voluntary use in compliance with subsection 5144(c)(2) to all employees who are not fully vaccinated and who are working indoors or in vehicles with more than one person. Whenever an employer makes respirators for voluntary use available, under this section or sections 3205.1 through 3205.4, the employer shall encourage their use and shall ensure that employees are provided with a respirator of the correct size.”
- Fully vaccinated – definition update:
- The definition has changed to include people who were vaccinated in other countries with vaccines approved for use by the World Health Organization.
Local Public Health Order Updated
Effective tomorrow, the Blueprint for a Safer Economy will be rescinded. As a result, San Diego County Public Health Officer Dr. Wilma Wooten has issued an
amended local public health order.
The order notes that persons and entities may still be subject to Cal/OSHA and California Department of Public Health (CDPH) guidelines and standards with limited public health restrictions, including face coverings, school-based guidance, and guidance for mega events.
In San Diego County, persons who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, or who are likely to have COVID-19, will be subject to health orders related to
Isolation of All Persons with or Likely to Have COVID-19 and
Quarantine of Persons Exposed to COVID-19. Both orders are available
here.
Subsequent public health orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic may be issued in San Diego County as conditions warrant.
Local Reopening Dashboard Will Sunset; State Report Still Required
Changes to the local health order mean school districts, charter schools, and private schools are no longer required to report to the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) the number of students participating in full-time in-person learning, hybrid learning, and distance learning; the number of school employees who work onsite at a school; or the name, email address, mailing address, and phone number of the person responsible for responding to complaints regarding COVID-19 prevention.
Please note that school districts, charter schools, and private schools are still required to submit data for the state reopening dashboard. As mandated by Assembly Bill 86, local educational agencies will need to continue submitting data even if they are not offering summer programs.
Additional Updates to Schools Guidance Expected
CDPH is still expected to release guidance for the 2021-22 school year. We will continue to provide updates as they become available.
Thank you for all you are doing during these unprecedented times. As always, please let me know if you have any questions or need support.
Sincerely,
Paul
Dr. Paul Gothold
San Diego County Superintendent of Schools
phone: 858-295-6641
