What schools and teachers should be doing now about coronavirus, according to the experts - The Washington Post

What schools and teachers should be doing now about coronavirus, according to the experts - The Washington Post

What schools and teachers should be doing now about coronavirus, according to the experts

What should schools, teachers and everyone else on a campus be doing as the new coronavirus continues spreading around the globe, including in the United States?

Most patients confirmed to have covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, have had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms including fever, cough and shortness of breath. Some patients have experienced pneumonia in both lungs, and the global death count as of Monday was more than 3,000, with six deaths in Washington state. A few schools there closed as a precaution, and experts say more school closings are possible if the disease continues to spread throughout the United States.

There is no antiviral treatment specifically for the disease, but experts say there are precautionary steps everyone can and should be taking to avoid coming down with covid-19.

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Here’s what experts say schools and teachers should be doing to prepare for the spread of the coronavirus. The following advice comes directly from leading health and education agencies:
ADVICE FROM THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
Guidance for schools that do not have covid-19 identified in their community

To prepare for possible community transmission of covid-19, the most important thing for schools to do now is plan and prepare. As the global outbreak evolves, schools should prepare for the possibility of community-level outbreaks. Schools want to be ready if covid-19 does appear in their communities.

Child-care and K-12 school administrators nationwide can take steps to help stop or slow the spread of respiratory infectious diseases, including covid-19:

• Review, update, and implement emergency operations plans (EOPs). This should be done in collaboration with local health departments and other relevant partners. Focus on the CONTINUE READING: What schools and teachers should be doing now about coronavirus, according to the experts - The Washington Post