COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Letter to Families March 10, 2020
Dear Families,
While the Greater Johnstown School District does not have a confirmed case of novel coronavirus, COVID-19, within its school community, district officials are monitoring information from local, state and federal officials about the newly emerged virus.
If the district becomes aware that one of our students or staff members is diagnosed with COVID-19, we will notify staff and students’ families using our emergency notification system. Schools will close for one day and we will consult with the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and the Fulton County Public Health Department. School facilities will be cleaned and sanitized thoroughly.
At this time, experts have not recommended that the district cancel or reschedule classes or other school events. For now, the most important thing you can do to protect yourself and your children is to follow the standard preventive practices for influenza. There are a number of steps that students, staff and community members can take to minimize the spread of all respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, according to the New York State Department of Health:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Heavily soiled hands should be washed.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
It is important to note that exposure to COVID-19 can occur from any person-to-person contact and is not limited to a particular race or ethnicity.
More information about COVID-19 is available from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.
The state Department of Health also has information available on its website, including a coronavirus hotline: https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus/.
We are preparing to meet the needs of our students and staff in the event the virus affects our community. Our cleaning crew are using flu season protocols to wipe areas of frequent touch daily, and we are encouraging students to wash their hands and use hand sanitizers, especially before eating.
We appreciate your support of our district and will share more information as it becomes available. Documents will be shared through email and then posted on our website.
Sincerely,
Dr. Karen Geelan
Superintendent of Schools