COVID

With the deadline rapidly approaching for elementary school children to be up-to-date on their pediatric vaccines, more than a quarter of D.C. school students are still out of compliance.

Why it matters: Starting Oct. 11, DCPS students in pre-K through 5th grade who are not fully vaccinated will not be permitted to attend school. Students at all schools, including public, private and parochial, are required to be up-to-date on their vaccinations.

COVID-19 cases in D.C.’s public schools remain low a month into the academic year — although the data available is much less detailed than last year and it’s harder to make comparisons.

Why it matters: COVID in schools is a much different story this year than last. Most students are able to be vaccinated and more vaccine requirements are in place.

D.C. has finally collected two months' worth of wastewater COVID-19 data, but has yet to send it to the CDC or make the data public.

Why it matters: Officials across the country have used wastewater to monitor coronavirus levels in feces and warn of potential spikes in cases days before individual testing can.

New data from the CDC shows that 75.4% of D.C. children have already been infected with COVID-19.

Driving the news: Released earlier this month, the CDC's survey examined samples from 384 D.C. children between the ages of 6 months to 17 years.

DCPS last week finished its first in-person pandemic school year after more than a year of virtual learning.

We spoke with a DCPS teacher about navigating this first year back in person.

For D.C. parents who want them, finding a COVID-19 dose for their toddler has proved fairly successful in the first days of availability.

Why it matters: Many D.C. parents have been waiting for what might have seemed like an eternity for these vaccines, and now may be pleasantly surprised at how frictionless the experience is.

Children under the age of five can now get their COVID-19 shots after both the Pfizer and Moderna doses were recommended by the CDC.

Why it matters: COVID is one of the five leading causes of death in children, CDC advisers said this past weekend.

You asked, we responded. Here are some answers to your most common COVID-19 questions.