Coronavirus Outlook Updated By Howard County Schools Leader

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — The 2019 novel coronavirus has heightened health concerns across the country. To alleviate any worries circulating among Howard County Public School System parents, Superintendent Michael Martirano sent a letter explaining that the district follows recommendations from experts at the Howard County Health Department, Maryland Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

At the moment, HCPSS continues to "operate and educate as normal." While there have been no confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Maryland or in Howard County, school district staff remain in constant contact with county, state and federal health professionals so that they have the most updated information possible.

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"At this point, the best solution for combating this virus is a good defense. Yesterday, Howard County Health Department officials shared with me several recommendations to ensure that we are taking appropriate and effective actions to stay healthy and prevent the spread of all person-to-person viruses," the superintendent wrote.

Those precautions also have been shared by the CDC and include:

• Washing 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
• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick
• Staying home when you are sick
• Covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash
• Cleaning and disinfecting frequently-touched objects and surfaces

Howard County health officials also shared that, in general, a mask worn by healthy individuals will not protect them from contracting the coronavirus. However, masks may be helpful to prevent the spread of germs from individuals who are sick.

"Our school nurses have established protocols for students who come to the health room with a fever, including providing them with a mask before they are picked up by a parent or guardian if they are showing flu-like symptoms and/or there is reason to believe that they could have come in contact with somebody who may have contracted the coronavirus," the superintendent wrote.

According to health officials, at this point the only way to distinguish between coronavirus and the flu is the patient’s travel history or known contact with somebody who is infected because symptoms are identical.

"That is why it is important that families review the strategies listed above to stay healthy and prevent the spread of germs. Students are permitted to bring alcohol-based hand sanitizer to school. Additionally, hand sanitizer is available in every school’s cafeteria for student use.
Questions have been raised related to the decision by several school districts around the country to prohibit international field trips. Existing board of education policy already prohibits students from taking field trips internationally," the superintendent's letter said.

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