Los Angeles Public Health informed county elementary schools that it expects to reach the state threshold to reopen in-person instruction, Tuesday.

California requires counties to reach a case rate fewer than 25 positive COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents. With that threshold met starting Tuesday, schools must show that they satifsy “a full range of safety measures” to be certified by L.A. Public Health.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn unofficially announced that schools would reopen for grades K-6, tweeting out Monday, ” This is what we have been working towards. Now we can continue the work getting our kids and teachers safely back in classrooms where they belong.”

Before the announcement was made and schools were notified, LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner announced an array of changes that schools are making to comply with Public Health measures. Among these were retrofitting 80,000 square feet of school buildings with MERV 13 air filters, which Beutner said are “akin to N-95 masks.”

Beutner also said the CDC showed vocal approval for the school district’s filtration systems.

The district also said it has adjusted desks to comply with social distancing regulations, will provide personal protective equipment such as face coverings and is working to create a school-based COVID-19 contact tracing and testing program.

Additional details for school reopening regulations will be given by L.A. Public Health on Tuesday.

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