As students at Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District return to classes this week, their respective winter breaks may have subjected them to a host of illness-causing environments, whether that be large family gatherings or trips to colder climates.
District officials are cognizant of this fact, as well as the circulation of respiratory illnesses throughout Greater Los Angeles, with SMMUSD Superintendent Dr. Antonio Shelton sending out a note before winter break began urging caution to students and their families. "We know for many of our families the end of the year holidays are a time of joyous celebrations full of loved ones and family time," Shelton said in a Dec. 12, 2023 message. "With this in mind, SMMUSD wants to ensure that we take all the proper return-from-break safety measures and start the new year safe and healthy."
Shelton’s message included a link to information from the California Department of Public Health, highlighting what parents and families can do to keep children healthy over the winter months. To reduce the risk of catching and spreading respiratory viruses like the flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV); the department stated that anyone exhibiting symptoms of these illnesses should stay home and away from others. The department also recommends testing for COVID-19 and the flu if someone exhibits symptoms, and to contact health care providers about prescription treatments in the case of a positive test. At SMMUSD, school offices offer free COVID-19 test kits while supplies last, and the district also provided a link to free COVID-19 and flu vaccines available to children and adults.
The district’s messaging comes as Los Angeles County public health officials recently reinstated a mask requirement at health care facilities. For the week ending December 23, 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 10.5 new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 people in the county, a 30% increase from the prior week and enough to put the county into the CDC’s "medium" COVID threshold level. The mask requirement applies to health workers and visitors in patient care areas of facilities like hospitals, dialysis centers and primary care clinics.
"Common-sense protections are strongly recommended to help curb transmission and severe illness as the new year begins," the public health department said in a recent press release.
For COVID-19 case numbers, there were 621 in the week ending December 23, 2023, rising by more than 100 from the prior week, with the health department adding that an average of five deaths per day due to COVID-19 was reported in the final week of December. Other respiratory illnesses were also on the rise during the end of December, as for the same week ending Dec. 23, an average of 85 Los Angeles County residents were hospitalized with the flu per day. The CDC’s map of national flu activity puts California in the "very high" activity level, joining states like Texas, Nevada, Ohio and Massachusetts.
Along with requiring masking in health care facilities, county health officials also stated that "well-fitted, high-quality" masks can help protect against transmission in "crowded indoor spaces" such as airports and train stations.
