Here’s How Schools Are Preparing To Deal With The Coronavirus
Districts across the country are asking how to prevent both the illness and disruptive school closures.
As the U.S. braces for a potential outbreak of the coronavirus, schools are grappling with a problem: How do you maintain a safe place for kids to gather and learn when the very act of gathering could make it unsafe?
The illness caused by the coronavirus, COVID-19, has sickened 84,000 people around the world and killed about 2,800. Only one person has died of the illness in the U.S. out of a few dozen cases, but already the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned Americans to start preparing for it to spread.
A national outbreak isn’t a question of if, but when, the agency said Tuesday.
School administrators are now asking themselves what they can do to prevent shuttering entire districts and significantly disrupting families’ lives. Many districts have sent home letters to parents to assure them they are taking the virus seriously.
The top tips schools are giving are simple: Stay home if you feel sick. Wash your hands with antibacterial soap and water. Don’t touch your face. Disinfect common areas. Try not to share food.
The CDC is encouraging school administrators to keep local health officials apprised of any spikes in the number of people taking sick days.
As for perfect attendance awards? Ditch them, the agency says.
“Schools and classrooms are basically a breeding ground for germs. Kids come to school all the time with colds and fevers and all kinds of illnesses that the teachers get,” Dan CONTINUE READING: Here's How Schools Are Preparing To Deal With The Coronavirus | HuffPost