Coronavirus: Braintree Schools Cancel Classes Friday

BRAINTREE, MA — Officials with Braintree Public Schools have canceled classes Friday for students amid growing concerns surrounding the new coronavirus. School officials said they will work with the Health Department, Mayor Charles Kokoros' office and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and provide an additional update Sunday.

That update will let the community know whether schools will open or if additonal closures are necessary.

"Our decision to close school is not made lightly, and we want to thank you for your understanding and support during this challenging situation.," school officials said in a statement.

More info on Coronavirus:

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called COVID-19, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

As of Wednesday there were 95 cases of coronavirus in Massachustts, including 23 in Norfolk County.

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The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now transferring from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 it and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

See more on Massachusetts Coronavirus coverage:

• MA Coronavirus Cases Hit 95, More Than 1,000 Quarantined
• MA Coronavirus Cases Hit 92 As State Of Emergency Declared
• Coronavirus: MIAA Scrambles To Finish Basketball, Hockey Playoffs