Operational Guidance for UW Youth Programs regarding COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses
Updated October 7,2024
Please note that guidance may change at any time so please check back for further updates.
With the conclusion of the state health emergency and respective health orders (e.g., masking), the University has streamlined health prevention and response requirements associated with COVID-19.
The University requires any in-person youth engagements (i.e., activities, events or programs) to follow COVID-19 guidance for K-12 schools, child care, youth development and day camps outlined by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) in the Washington State Infectious Disease Resource Guide (see pp. 32-34) Note: Within this guidance you will see that virtually all requirements during the pandemic have now become recommendations.
REQUIRED in youth program settings
Employee cases
As is the case for any University workplace, follow EHS case and exposure guidance regarding prevention, isolation, masking, and reporting positive cases for employees. Employees who believe they were exposed in the workplace should still submit an OARS report at their earliest convenience.
Outbreaks
In the event of a COVID-19 outbreak, which is defined by WA State Department of Health as an outbreak of 5 or more participants in a core group, or defined by UW as greater than 10% of participants and personnel from a core group, report this event to ehsdept@uw.edu and to your local health jurisdiction.
Recommended in youth program settings
All recommendations can be found in the WA Department of Health Infectious Diseases Control School Guide (see pp. 32-34)
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Any participant or employee who chooses to wear a mask should be permitted to do so.
Yes! Use of a face covering is an important prevention step for reducing transmission of any respiratory disease.
That is correct: youth programs may not require youth to be vaccinated in order to participate in programming.
You need to communicate the expectations to your participants and their parents and guardians. Be clear that the requirement is one of the host facility, rather than a general UW requirement. The host facility should handle verification of vaccination so your program does not need to collect or view this sensitive personal health information. If you must verify vaccination status, contact EH&S to ensure you are doing this properly.
About COVID-19: Resources and Response