Communicable disease prevention and control

If materials are changed or adapted, please keep the Public Health logo and add the phrase "Adapted from materials developed from Public Health — Seattle & King County."

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) recently announced new guidance on What To Do When You Are Sick With COVID-19 or Another Respiratory Virus. The isolation and exclusion recommendations in DOH's May 2023 COVID-19 Guidance for Schools and Child Cares are now out of date; all other sections are still relevant. Public Health – Seattle & King County posted this Public Health Insider article on the updated recommendations for staying home when sick, which includes a section tailored for child care programs.

Washington Administrative Codes state that childcare and early learning programs must report Notifiable Conditions, which includes each positive case of COVID-19, within 24 hours to local public health. Visit the Public Health – Seattle & King County Schools and Child Care Programs webpage for instructions on reporting positive cases of COVID-19 by phone or online survey.