Coronavirus Information
March 9, 2020
Dear Parents and Guardians,
I am writing to provide an update on some recent community health discussions. We continue planning and preparing to support the health of our school community. As you may know, last week marked the first confirmed case of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in New York State. Even as the spread of the illness is said to be inevitable, the risk of getting the COVID-19 virus is still low. In response, state officials announced the planned expansion of testing for COVID-19 and as a result, public health officials expect the number of cases under investigation to grow.
At the same time, there are on-going discussions and planning within our community, county, state, and country focusing on COVID- 19. The District is aware of the dangers associated with the novel coronavirus and is partnering with our County Health Departments and many community agencies to be proactive in our planning and preparedness to ensure practices within our school to promote healthy habits.
For the past few weeks, we have had increased additional help in the evenings incorporating disinfecting processes to help stop the spread of any germs due to the flu and will continue to do extra cleaning for the flu and now COVID-19. This person’s sole responsibility is to disinfect surface areas like every doorknob, stairway railings, as well as other surfaces that have constant touching.
There are no current vaccines to protect against the COVID-19 virus however there are preventative measures students, staff, and family members can take to help minimize its potential spread. These include, but are not limited to:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing. If you use a tissue, throw it in the trash.
- If you do sneeze in your hands, wash them immediately.
- Routinely clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Avoid sharing cups, water bottles, food utensils, and other similar items.
We are engaged in planning and preparation activities, which include regular communication with our school community. We are committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of our entire school community and appreciate the central role you play in that effort. One of your most important contributions besides good personal health habits is combating misinformation. Please reference district communications on this topic and reliable sources such as the New York State Department of Health, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), or the National Institutes of Health. Please reach out via email ([email protected]), or phone (315-852-3400), if you have any questions.
Helpful websites: https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Dr. David M. Brown
Superintendent of Schools
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