- Back in School
- COVID Risk Criteria Data
Community Matters
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UPDATE: CDC released a new Operational Strategy for K-12 Schools through Phased Mitigation on Feb. 12.
ASD’s planning and decision-making process for determining the District’s risk level for conducting school takes multiple community factors into consideration. The District conducts this process in close conversation with the Municipality of Anchorage and the State of Alaska Department of Health and Social Services.
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Primary Indicators and Thresholds - CDC Guidelines issued February 2021
Anchorage as of 3/2
Indicator Lowest
TransmissionLow
Transmission
BlueModerate
Transmission
YellowSubstantial
Transmission
OrangeHigh
Transmission
RedTotal new cases per 100,000 persons in the past 7 days** Category no longer exists.
It has been
merged into
one low
transmission
(blue) category.0-9 10-49 50-99
97
≥100
Percentage of NAATs that are positive in the past 7 days*** <5.0%
1.89%
5.0%-7.9% 8.0%-9.9% ≥10.0% *If the two indicators suggest different levels, the actions corresponding to the higher threshold should be chosen. County-level data on total new cases in the past 7 days and test percent positivity are available on the County View tab in CDC’s COVID Data Tracker.
**Total number of new cases per 100,000 persons in the past 7 days is calculated by adding the number of new cases in the county (or other community type) in the last 7 days divided by the population in the county (or other community type) and multiplying by 100,000.
***Percentage of positive diagnostic and screening NAATs during the last 7 days is calculated by dividing the number of positive tests in the county (or other administrative level) during the last 7 days by the total number of tests results over the last 7 days. Additional information can be found on the Calculating Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Laboratory Test Percent Positivity: CDC Methods and Considerations for Comparisons and Interpretation webpage.
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INDICATORS
Lowest risk of transmission in schools
Lower risk of transmission in schools
Moderate risk of transmission in schools
Higher risk of transmission in schools
Highest risk of transmission in schools
CORE INDICATORSASD Data as of 3/2
Number of new cases per 100,000 persons within the last 14 days*
<5
5 to <20
20 to <50
50 to ≤ 200
176
>200
Percentage of positive RT-PCR tests during the last 14 days**
<3%
1.6%
3% to <5%
5% to <8%
8% to ≤ 10%
>10%
Ability of the school to implement 5 key mitigation strategies:
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Consistent and correct use of masks
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Social distancing to the largest extent possible
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Hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette
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Cleaning and disinfection
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Contact tracing in collaboration with local health department
Schools should adopt the additional mitigation measures outlined below to the extent possible, practical and feasible.
Implemented all 5 strategies correctly and consistently
Implemented all 5 strategies correctly but inconsistently
Implemented 3-4 strategies correctly and consistently
YES
Implemented 1-2 strategies correctly and consistently
Implemented no strategies
SECONDARY INDICATORS
Percent change in new cases per 100,000 population during the last 7 days compared with the previous 7 days (negative values indicate improving trends)
<-10%
-10% to <-5%
-5% to <0%
0% to ≤ 10%
>10%
25%
Percentage of occupied adult hospital inpatient beds in the community***
<80%
<80%
75%
80 to 90%
>90%
>90%
Total percentage of occupied hospital inpatient beds in the community***
<80%
<80%
72%
80 to 90%
>90%
>90%
Percentage of occupied adult intensive care unit beds in the community that are occupied***
<80%
<80%
78%
80 to 90%
>90%
>90%
Total percentage of occupied intensive care unit beds in the community***
<80%
<80%
77%
80 to 90%
>90%
>90%
Percentage of occupied hospital inpatient beds in the community by patients with COVID-19***
<5%
2.9%
5% to <10%
10% to 15%
>15%
>15%
Existence of localized community/public setting COVID-19 outbreak****
No
No
Yes Yes Yes
*Number of new cases per 100,000 persons within the last 14 days is calculated by adding the number of new cases in the county (or other community type) in the last 14 days divided by the population in the county (or other community type) and multiplying by 100,000.
**Percentage of RT-PCR tests in the community (e.g., county) that are positive during the last 14 days is calculated by dividing the number of positive tests over the last 14 days by the total number of tests resulted over the last 14 days. Diagnostic tests are viral (RT-PCR) diagnostic and screening laboratory tests (excludes antibody testing and RT-PCR testing for surveillance purposes). Learn more on the Calculating Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Laboratory Test Percent Positivity: CDC Methods and Considerations for Comparisons and Interpretation webpage.
***Hospital beds and ICU beds occupied: These indicators are proxies for underlying community burden and the ability of the local healthcare system to support additional people with severe illness, including those with COVID-19. A community can be defined at the city, county or metro area level; federal analyses of hospital utilization rates within a community are typically conducted at the core-based statistical area (e.g., by metropolitan or micropolitan status).
**** Sudden increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in a localized community or geographic area as determined by the local and state health department.
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ASD will monitor the community COVID data on a daily basis; however, District risk-level decisions will be made every two weeks. The risk level will be subject to change based on direction from the Municipality or State.