MCPS Coronavirus Plan: Remote Teaching, Food Accommodations

SILVER SPRING, MD — Officials in Maryland's largest school district say they are prepared to teach children remotely if there is a local coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

In a letter to parents on Wednesday, Montgomery County Public Schools said students in prekindergarten through 12th grade will get physical and online copies of instructional activities in the event that schools are closed.

Students would access grade-appropriate educational videos and other instructional materials through the MCPS website and their Google for Education accounts, school officials said.

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MCPS also said it would make accommodations for those who need food.

"Depending on the length of time schools are closed, we are prepared to provide meals at several schools as regional meal sites. Information on the sites will be shared with the community once it is finalized," MCPS wrote.

The school district's announcement comes one day after the Montgomery County Council was briefed by local health officials on the coronavirus and the county's efforts to safeguard residents should the disease spread.

At Tuesday's briefing, Dr. Travis Gayles, the county's health officer and chief of Public Health Services, said the "overwhelming majority" of residents are at "low risk for contracting" the novel coronavirus, and those who do will most likely be fine.

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"If you are an otherwise healthy individual where you have a healthy immune system — there's no reason to think your immune system is not intact and you can respond appropriately — you can contract COVID-19, develop those symptoms, be sick for a few days, but convalesce and do very well and return to your normal status of health before you contracted the illness," Gayles said.

Those who are most at risk, he said, are individuals with compromised immune systems and the elderly.

The virus emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019 and has since infected more than 97,000 people and killed more than 3,000 around the world. In America, authorities have reported at least 221 cases and 12 fatalities.

As of Thursday night, three people tested positive for COVID-19 in Maryland, according to Gov. Larry Hogan. Those who tested positive for the new coronavirus were not identified other than as three Montgomery County residents who live in two different households. One is a woman in her 50s and the others are a married man and woman in their 70s.

Hogan said the patients contracted the virus while traveling overseas and are in good health. Maryland officials did not specify where they traveled.

"While today's news may seem overwhelming, this is not a reason to panic," Hogan said. "Marylanders should go to work or go to school just as they normally do. At the same time, I want to continue to remind everyone to prepare themselves and to continue to stay informed."

He declared a state of emergency in Maryland, directing the Maryland Department of Health and Maryland Emergency Management Agency to "ramp up" coordination among state and local agencies and "fast-track" the state's response to the illness.

Now a "very thorough investigation" is underway into their activities and "comings and goings," Fran Phillips, Maryland's deputy health secretary, said.

The federal government, Montgomery County Health Department, and state health officials are looking at what happened during the period of time between when they returned from their trip on Feb. 20 and experienced flu-like symptoms, according to Phillips, who described the individuals as very cooperative.

All three are improving, according to Phillips, who stated Thursday night: "Their symptoms are abating." They are not leaving their homes as they recover from the illness, she said.