Schools can still get reimbursed for staffing costs related to COVID-19 testing and mitigation activities until the Labor Support Fund ends this summer.

Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about what the fund covers and how to submit for reimbursement. See our reporting resources, including an extended FAQ list, for more details.

What costs are eligible for reimbursement?

• Staff time dedicated to testing of students, staff, and families
• Staff time dedicated to related mitigation activities, such as:
• Reporting cases
• Communicating results and following up with families
• Test inventory management
• Absence tracking
• Vaccine promotion
• Management of COVID-19 mitigation protocols 

Can federally restricted indirect rates be added to these costs?

Yes, you can apply your federal restricted indirect rate to these reimbursements. For example, if you were approved for $100,000 total over 12 months, and you have a 4% indirect rate, you can bill up to $100,000 for salary and benefits and up to $4,000 for indirects over the 12-month period approved in your request.

What are the reporting responsibilities?

You will be asked to provide monthly costs incurred by salary, benefits, and indirects via the reporting form, and must provide documentation for salary and benefits costs. Get more details on reporting requirements.

When can I expect to receive reimbursement?

If your submission is received on or before the 9th, you will receive reimbursement on or after the 15th of the same month. If your submission is received after the 9th, you will receive reimbursement on or after the 15th of the following month.

Reach out to your L2R Program Manager or ESD coordinator for further assistance in navigating this process.

As families travel, mix indoors and out, and socialize more freely over the break, chances for COVID-19 transmission increase. According to CDC estimates, the variant XBB.1.5 made up over 80% of all new cases nationwide for the week ending February 25th. Though it hasn’t proved more severe than previous strains, this variant is highly contagious due to spike-protein mutations that allow it to latch onto and infect cells more effectively. 

Related: Early Estimates of Bivalent mRNA Booster Dose Vaccine Effectiveness in Preventing Symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection Attributable to Omicron BA.5– and XBB/XBB.1.5–Related Sublineages

COVID-19 cases interrupt in-person learning, athletics, and other day-to-day activities for the school community. Being prepared for potential spikes in transmission will help students and staff quickly get back into the rhythm of school life after the break. 

Here are a few tips to get ahead of a potential jump in cases as kids return from Spring Break:

• Stock up! Make sure you have enough rapid antigen tests on site to meet increased demand when kids come back from the break.
• Order tests now through the DOH School Test Request Form. It takes up to ten days from getting DOH approval on your order to receiving your tests.
• Hand out take-home tests to students and staff before they leave for Spring Break. 
• Email/text families and staff to remind them to test within 24 hours of returning to school. 
• Share the most up-to-date DOH guidance with families:
• What to do if you have COVID-19 symptoms
• What to do if you have been exposed to COVID-19
• Encourage families to get at-home tests free of charge through the DOH Say Yes! COVID Test program and/or other federal programs.
• Eligibility requirements have been revised recently, but most Washingtonians can still access these tests free of charge. See more details in the next section.
• The federal free at-home test program is still active while supplies last. Every U.S. household can order four free rapid antigen tests through this service. 
• Insurers are still required to cover the cost of eight at-home tests per covered member per month until the end of the federal public health emergency on May 11.

Reach out to your L2R Program Manager or ESD coordinator to discuss how to best prepare for Spring Break this year.

The DOH program that has provided more than 15 million free rapid antigen tests to Washingtonians over the past year will come to an end on May 11, 2023. 

Here’s what to know:

• On March 13, eligibility criteria to order tests through Say Yes! COVID Test changed to focus on Washington communities that are most in need. While some areas in the state may no longer be eligible, most Washingtonians can still order five free test kits per household until May 11, 2023. 
• To check if you are still eligible, simply type your zip code into the online form. 

Read the full DOH press release on the end of Say Yes! COVID Test.

COVID-19 hospitalizations and cases are decreasing statewide.

Here are the latest COVID-19 trends.

As of March 4, 2023

Compared to last year (March 4, 2022)

*Shows 7-day rate

** Due to an increase in at-home testing, many positive cases may not be reported, distorting the data. Test positivity in Washington has been increasing steadily through the winter, from 6% in mid-November to 11.6% by the end of December. 

Know your COVID-19 community levels. Are you low, medium, or high?

Recommendations:

• Masking and screening testing are recommended best practices when your community level is high.
• Masking is recommended for high-risk individuals when your community level is medium or high.

COVID-19 NEWS