Carlsbad Unified School District: Student Travel Update March 9, 2020

From the Carlsbad Unified School District:

March 10, 2020

We’ve received many questions about upcoming school trips, including in-state day trips and out-of-state overnight trips. Here is our guidance as of today (March 9, 2020).

Q: Will school trips be cancelled?

A: Carlsbad Unified is monitoring school trips based on current guidance from the CDC, the California Department of Public Health, the San Diego County Office of Education, and local public health officials.

• Local field trips: For the moment, local field trips will continue as planned. If you would prefer that your child NOT participate in a field trip offered by the school, it is your responsibility to inform the principal and teacher and to make alternate arrangements for your child during that time.
• Out-of-state travel: We are evaluating all out-of-state trips on a case by case basis. For the moment, out-of-state trips will continue as planned. We are closely following the department of health guidelines at each of those localities. If a local organizer of an out-of-state trip cancels the event, then we will cancel the trip. If we begin to see community spread (non-travel related infection) in the location of the out-of-state trip, then it is possible that the trip will be canceled. We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.

Q: What is the protocol if a student or a chaperone becomes ill while on a school trip?

A: Should a chaperone or student become ill (with any type of illness) on a school trip, they will be evaluated and treated as appropriate, including being separated from the group to not expose others to the illness. There should always be an adequate number of chaperones to support students should a chaperone become ill.

Restrictions on travel for those with verified cases of COVID-19 would be under the purview of the CDC and/or local health agencies. While the district will take steps to work with these agencies to evaluate and respond to the situation, the exact limitations on travel may not be known at this time.

Q: Spring Break is coming. Should I cancel my family trip?

A: (Current as of March 9, 2020): CDC provides recommendations on postponing or canceling travel. These are called travel notices and are based on assessment of the potential health risks involved with traveling to a certain area. A list of destinations with travel notices is available here.

• Warning Level 3: CDC recommends travelers avoid all nonessential travel to destinations with level 3 travel notices because of the risk of getting COVID-19.
• Alert Level 2: Because COVID-19 can be more serious in older adults and those with chronic medical conditions, people in these groups should talk to a healthcare provider and consider postponing travel to destinations with level 2 travel notices.
• Watch Level 1: CDC does not recommend canceling or postponing travel to destinations with level 1 travel notices because the risk of COVID-19 is thought to be low. If you travel, take the following routine precautions:

• Avoid contact with sick people.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Clean your hands often by washing them with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains 60%–95% alcohol. Soap and water should be used if hands are visibly dirty
  • It is especially important to clean hands after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose.

Q: What is the current guidance from the CDC about travel restrictions?

A: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued new guidance (as of March 5) for people who have traveled to countries with widespread, ongoing transmission of COVID-19. At this time, people who have traveled to China, Iran, Italy, Japan, or South Korea (Level 2 and 3 Travel Health Notice countries) are asked to stay home for 14 days from the time you left an area with widespread, ongoing community spread, and practice social distancing.

Specifically, the CDC advises people who have traveled to these countries to monitor their health and practice social distancing, which includes:

• Take your temperature with a thermometer two times a day and monitor for fever. Also watch for cough or trouble breathing.
• Stay home and avoid contact with others. Do not go to work or school for this 14-day period. Discuss your work situation with your employer before returning to work.
• Do not take public transportation, taxis, or ride-shares during the time you are practicing social distancing.
• Avoid crowded places (such as shopping centers and movie theaters) and limit your activities in public.
• Keep your distance from others (about 6 feet or 2 meters).

The CDC currently recommends that individuals avoid all nonessential travel to China, Iran, Italy, and South Korea and recommends older adults or those with chronic medical conditions postpone travel to Japan. If you or your child must travel to one of these countries, please follow the above guidelines upon your return.

This press release was produced by the Carlsbad Unified School District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.