North Reading Schools' Ecuador Trip Uncertain Amid Coronavirus

NORTH READING, MA — A scheduled school trip to Ecuador for North Reading students may be on hold as district officials re-evaluate the safety and health risks associated with the recent spread of the Coronavirus. Ecuador is not at a level three risk for the virus, but as of Thursday afternoon, 13 cases have been confirmed in the country.

North Reading Superintendent Patrick Daly told Patch the district is "Working with the provider and those attending to consider our options in the best interest of the students." The trip was planned for the upcoming April vacation.

In a letter to parents and the community, the district stressed that the school is closely following virus updates and taking precautions to keep schools clean and students healthy. The district custodial staff continue to clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces (door handles, faucets, railings), bathrooms and health rooms using approved disinfectants. District nurses are also tracking illness trends in the school.

In Massachusetts there is only one confirmed case of COVID-19 and one presumptive case — 719people have been quarantined so far, 470 completed quarantine with no symptoms. Another 249 people in the state are monitoring to see if they show symptoms.

Universities across the state, including Salem State, are taking initiatives to bring students home from study abroad trips or close campuses abroad where threats of the virus are more severe, including in Italy.

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.

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