SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane County Health Officer Dr. Bob Lutz sent a message to Spokane-area schools on Monday, Aug. 3, that strongly recommends beginning the 2020-2021 school year online.
In response, Spokane Public Schools and Central Valley School District announced on Monday that students will return to school virtually rather than in classrooms.
“Based on our rates, the existing science regarding COVID-19, and school reopening, I strongly recommend beginning the year in remote/continuous learning for all students," Lutz's message reads. "Consider in-person learning for those who have special health or education needs that cannot be delivered through remote learning."
Lutz also said in his message that in-person instruction has been most successfully implemented at schools internationally when COVID-19 incidence rates are "low and decreasing," or about 25 or fewer cases per 100,000 residents over a two-week period.
Spokane County's incidence rate is 209.6 cases per 100,000 residents over a two-week period as of Aug. 1, according to Lutz.
"Given the current high level and upward trajectory of COVID-19 rates in Spokane County, cases and outbreaks in schools will likely occur," Lutz wrote. "These could negatively impact community-wide efforts to lower rates, would impose considerable demands and instability on school operations and conceivably outpace our collective efforts to control the pandemic."
Read the full message from Dr. Lutz below:
