Seattle Public Schools to Issue N95 Masks to ALL Staff

Not sure if district is bowing to SEA pressure but they issued this notice today which includes (bold mine):

"The district has procured hundreds of thousands of masks to distribute as a temporary response to this variant’s recent surge. 
 
On Tuesday, January 17, SPS will begin distributing higher-grade masks, including a combination of KN95 and N95 masks to all staff. Staff who require them have always had access and will continue to do so.  
 
The district has also requested half a million KN95 and KN94 masks for students. "

Comments

Anonymous said…
Awesome! Many employers are doing the same. I also wrote the Board, OSPI and others asking for high quality masks. I’m a parent; maybe it’s not just unions and the district is listening to stakeholders and applying some common sense. This is very reasonable.

Read the Room
1/18/22, 3:55 PM
Kate (Belltown) said…
I'm not clear about the reference to acquiescing to the union, but my husband teaches in an SPS middle school. He was notified yesterday that each teacher would receive 1 -- yes, ONE -- mask from the district. What is the point? Since school returned in person we have been buying KN95s by the hundred. His room has minimal ventilation, and now with Omicron he has daily exposure to kids who test positive. What good is ONE mask? I doubt that the union recommended that insult.
1/19/22, 7:05 AM
Melissa Westbrook said…
Ah, the details. I hadn't heard that one, just what the district said. One is a bit of a joke.
1/19/22, 8:48 AM
Anonymous said…
Will the district also provide socks and underwear? Masks are for life.

Eyeroll
1/19/22, 11:09 AM
Anonymous said…
Fantastic piece "On Point" NPR KUOW interview today Thursday with CDC Director Rochelle Walensky and other medical experts weighing in regarding Omicron and challenges with schools. Listen to the podcast. Regarding masks Biden's administration is sending millions N95 out to all Americans. However, experts spoke about where we are heading and masks in schools will eventually come off and be optional. The importance of keeping schools open and last to close is reiterated. Medical experts explain why many hospitals currently have vaccinated people back working after 5 days. Even asymptomatic positive people returning to work earlier with well fitting masks. In highly vaccinated communities, Omicron virus is a different situation. The goal is not to prevent all illness like earlier in the "pandemic" when we did not have vaccines. The goal is to prevent severe illness and we have the tools. A challenge has been people lagging in understanding the situation which evolved. We have a deep "culture of fear" in many communities. People take risks everyday that are much higher than going to the classroom in our current situation. Biden administration strategies are moving away from pandemic towards an endemic.

silver lining

1/19/22, 11:27 AM
Eric M said…
Already? After 2 years of Covid pandemic? What's the rush?
1/20/22, 8:48 AM
Anonymous said…
A Seattle high school student wrote a nice piece about getting N95 masks:

https://www.thestranger.com/slog/2022/01/13/64911360/give-students-quality-masks-now-please

And students have been doing sick-outs to demand these masks. Kudos to all these students for raising the issue to prioritize health AND keep schools open.


ZINGA
1/22/22, 9:08 AM
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