GA Schools Given New Coronavirus Guidelines

GEORGIA — Schools across Georgia have been given guidance on how to respond to the new coronavirus. State health officials say the overall risk of COVID-19 to the general public in the United States and schools is low. Students, faculty and staff who have had family members travel to China in the last 14 days do not need to miss school, state health officials say.

Only individuals who’ve recently traveled to China and returned on or after Feb. 3, 2020, are requested by the federal government to go into self-quarantine at home.

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH), the best way "to prevent infection with any respiratory virus is to use the same preventive strategies used during a normal cold and flu season":

• Get a flu shot every year.
• Wash hands regularly with warm water and soap.
• Cover coughs and sneezes.
• Stay home when experiencing symptoms of illness.

“Students, faculty or staff whose family members have traveled from China in the last 14 days (and are being monitored for symptoms) do not need to be excluded from school,” DPH said in a letter.

“We understand that school staff, parents and the community are concerned about the health and safety of our children, however, it is important to understand the risk of disease transmission and not impose unnecessary restrictions on persons who do not present an immediate health risk," according to the DPH letter.

Gov. Brian Kemp announced Monday night there were two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Fulton County, which originated in Wuhan, China. A 56-year-old father, who had returned home from Italy, didn't show symptoms for several days, according to health officials.

The father and son both saw a private doctor and also were tested by the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Both tested positive and are in self-quarantine with another child and a spouse.

DPH says it’s working closely with the CDC and state partners to prepare for a potential outbreak.

Cobb County School District is taking precautions in case of an outbreak, saying in a statement:

While public health officials have not been able to provide any specific direction thus far, we are taking every precaution we can, which includes reminding our community to make healthy choices. As our teachers teach and students learn, we will continue to work closely with public health officials from state and federal agencies for specific guidance. We do know there are no active cases in the state of Georgia, but we have taken and will continue to take every recommended step to keep our students safe.

Should a staff member or student become ill, Cobb Schools already has a reporting protocol in place regarding infectious diseases, which is part of the District’s Infectious Disease Response Plan. The District will use guidance from public health officials to update and apply the plan to respond to COVID-19.

The current risk level for our school community is considered low. However, if public health officials update our schools’ risk level, the school community can expect to hear an update from Cobb Schools regarding potential next steps. All decisions will be made in coordination with public health officials.

Atlanta Public Schools said it is "closely monitoring all developments," issuing this statement about the new coronavirus:

...we take this and any other health-related concern very seriously. District officials will remain in close contact with local, state, and federal agencies – such as the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE), the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH), the Fulton County Board of Health (BOH), and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for the latest information on this disease.

In this case, many of the decisions and plans around quarantines or school closures will be led by the federal government with assistance from state emergency management officials. We have received guidance from those agencies and are incorporating key components into the District's emergency management practices. We will provide updated information to students, families and District employees as we receive directives from local, state, and federal health officials. To stay abreast of emerging health news in APS, click here to visit our health alerts page.

If schools do close, APS says it will launch APS WeatherWise, its online learning platform. It's designed to prevent learning loss by supplementing missed classroom time during emergency management situations through technology.

DeKalb County School District reports it is following guidance from the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Currently, there are no confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection in Georgia.

DCSD is monitoring the status of the coronavirus with our partners at the DeKalb Board of Health, DeKalb Emergency Management Agency, and partners in neighboring school districts. The district will provide updates if the situation evolves. The safety and well-being of our students and staff remains a top priority.

A cross divisional Coronavirus Taskforce has been developed by Interim Superintendent Tyson to continually review current guidance from local, state and federal agencies and proactively identify a strategic response plan for the school district. Schools have been reminded of appropriate hygiene strategies to keep germs from spreading. We are also monitoring daily student and staff absences and ensuring that appropriate cleaning strategies are being used in all schools and centers. Keeping our students and staff safe remains our top priority.

The Fulton County School District said it is following guidance from the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Fulton County Schools is aware of the statements made by the CDC regarding the potential threat of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the United States. As we are updated by the Georgia Department of Public Health (GDPH), we will continue to follow the lead of local, state, and federal agencies. The GDPH has provided us with information via this link for you.

Please be aware that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is asking school officials, as well as childcare centers and workplaces, to prepare for a possible outbreak. Currently, there are no confirmed cases in Fulton County, or Georgia. FCS is working closely with local and state health officials in the event cases progress to our region. Additionally, in response to the CDC's public comments that were recently shared in the media, we wanted to provide information about our coronavirus (COVID-19) planning.

• We are reinforcing the importance of healthy hygiene with our students and employees
• Should a confirmed case occur, we will immediately inform our school community
• FCS has a plan to address a potential pandemic, including a Continuity of Learning component
• In the event of a school closing, we can convert instruction to a digital format to ensure continuation of instruction

Currently, we are reviewing our existing pandemic plan and making the necessary revisions to respond to COVID-19 scenarios. The plan is fluid and sections will be updated as new information becomes available. FCS's response plan addresses the specific activities necessary to keep schools open and operating while providing a clean and safe environment during an outbreak and the essential functions that must be performed by FCS, if schools are closed. While the full impact of an outbreak cannot be predicted, planning for operations under such conditions can lessen the impact of the event on our students, staff, facilities and mission. The health and safety of our students and staff remains our top priority.

The Cherokee County School District said its following guidance from the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Dear Parents,

On behalf of the Superintendent, please be advised that we are aware of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) guidance to schools to prepare contingency plans for the coronavirus-borne disease COVID-19.

Our School District works closely with the Georgia Department of Public Health and local public safety officials whenever there is a public health or safety concern affecting any of our schools.Our custodial provider is equally dedicated to keeping our schools clean and our children safe with numerous industry best practices in place.

What can you do as a parent? You can reinforce with your children the importance of every-day good health habits to avoid illnesses including: frequently washing your hands; using a tissue when you sneeze or cough and then throwing it away; keeping your fingers out of your eyes, nose and mouth; not sharing water bottles or similar containers; and staying home when sick. When children have a fever, they need to stay home from school and be fever free, without the aid of fever-reducing medication, for at least 24 hours before returning to school.

In the event we were to need to close schools, for any reason, our Canvas online learning management system, which our students and teachers have tested for the past year, allows for teaching and learning to continue in these situations. As we have previously announced, we will be using Canvas on Tuesday, March 24, 2020 for a Digital Learning Day; our schools will be closed that day for safety concerns, as many will be used for Presidential Primary election polling sites. Canvas is a type of "teleschool" option that CDC officials suggested school systems have in place as a contingency plan.

The Forsyth County School District said its following guidance from the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Forsyth County Schools (FCS) does not have a confirmed case of coronavirus in our schools. If this was to occur, we will notify staff and parents/guardians within the school.

We are aware of the concerns of our community, as well as the recent statements from the CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO). FCS has had online learning days over the past six years for inclement weather and could use this option if needed for health reasons.

Globally, more than 94,000 people have been infected and over 3,200 people have died from the new coronavirus, Johns Hopkins reported Wednesday afternoon. Of that total, more than 80,000 cases are in China, while the entire United States has more than 130 confirmed cases to date.

It's caused by a member of the coronavirus that's a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses.

Public Health Guidance On Virus Prevention:

• Do not go to an emergency room unless absolutely essential. Those with symptoms including a cough, fever, or other respiratory issues are advised to contact their regular doctor first.
• If you are sick, stay home.
• Commit to excellent personal hygiene, including regular hand washing, and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

Monitor the latest information on COVID-19 in Georgia and across the United States:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Georgia Department of Public Health