Health Department Safety Reminders About End-of-Year Activities

In light of a regional increase in COVID-19 cases, the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services has issued the message below as a reminder regarding end-of-year school activities. Also, please remember that the Long Beach Unified School District remains committed to transparency and continues to report daily and cumulative COVID-19 case data here on its public dashboard. Although the dashboard reflects regional trends, showing some uptick in school-based cases, as always these numbers should be considered within the larger context of the school district’s more than 68,000 students and 12,000 employees.

Message from Health Department

Dear students and parents:

Due to rising cases in the community and an increase of outbreaks among students and staff, the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) is strongly recommending that individuals attending end-of-year school events practice COVID-19 safety measures.

Large events such as proms, performances, and graduations, are high-risk settings for COVID-19 to spread rapidly, and large outbreaks have already been reported. The Health Department is emphasizing that participants wear well-fitting masks when indoors and get tested before and after the events.

Positive students, staff, and parents are expected to follow isolation orders and shouldn’t return to school or attend events until they’ve been released from isolation. If they meet the criteria to leave isolation early, they must wear a mask around others for 10 days after their symptoms started or from their positive test date.

Exposed individuals may attend events if they do not have symptoms, but it is strongly recommended that they get tested and wear a mask while indoors. Individuals who are feeling sick should stay home.

Vaccines are safe and effective in preventing COVID-19 infection for those 5 years and older and especially effective at preventing hospitalization, serious illness or death among breakthrough cases of the virus. To view the most up-to-date vaccine clinic schedule and to schedule an appointment, visit longbeach.gov/vaxLB or call 562-570-4636.

The Health Department continues to work with school administrators to minimize transmission on campuses. Testing appointments can be made at longbeach.gov/covid19testing or by calling 562-570-4636.

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our schools safe.

Anissa Davis, MD, MPH
City Health Officer
Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services