Grand Rapids Public Schools Publishes Coronavirus Preventive Measures

From Grand Rapids Public Schools:

GRPS is committed to the health and well-being of our students, staff, families, and community, and want to provide you with information on the recent outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19). We are doing everything possible to prevent the spread of Coronavirus and other communicable diseases.

Grand Rapids Public Schools works with the Kent County Health Department to adhere to the Michigan Public Health Code (Act 368 of 1978 as amended), the School Code of 1976 (Act 451 of 1976 as Amended), and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services guidelines for the prevention, control, and containment of communicable diseases in schools.

As outlined in Board policy, Grand Rapids Public Schools will exclude a student from school who is suspected of having a communicable disease or infection and is considered a health threat to the school population as defined by law and related rules.

Any potential decision to close schools due to communicable disease outbreaks shall be made by the Superintendent, in consultation with the Kent County Health Department medical staff and/or for review to the review team.

As always, encourage your student(s) to practice hand hygiene at home and school. Best practices for helping prevent the spread of disease and illness include:

• Stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Cover coughs and sneezes. Use a tissue to cover coughs and sneezes, then dispose of the tissue. When a tissue is not available, cough or sneeze into your elbow.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces or objects. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work or school, especially when someone is ill. Find additional CDC resources on how to clean and disinfect schools here: cdc.gov/flu/school/cleaning.htm
• Wash hands for 20 seconds. Washing hands often under clean, running water can help prevent the spread of germs. For more guidance see the CDC: When and How to Wash Your Hands. If you cannot wash your hands, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60-95% alcohol.

GRPS will continue to follow the guidelines of the CDC, MDHHS, and KCHD surrounding communicable diseases.

UPDATES FROM THE KENT COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT AS OF 3/6/2020:

• Global: In the past 24 hours, there were 99,624 confirmed (2241 new). There are CDC level 3 travel warnings for China, Iran, Italy, South Korea, level 2 for Japan, level 1 for Hong Kong. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports
• U.S.: As of 3/6/2020 there have been a total of 245 cases in the U.S. with 19 states reporting cases. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html
• Michigan: There have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Michigan. Testing has been approved for 16 people, 8 have been negative, 8 results are pending.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES SURROUNDING COVID-19:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website on COVID-19
• Michigan.gov/coronavirus (Michigan Department of Health and Human Services/MDHHS)
• Kent County Health Department website on COVID-19
• NY Times Parenting: How to Talk to Kids About Coronavirus
• Comic Book Ask a Scientist: How Does My Body Fight Disease
• Ask a Scientist: Comic Book: How Does My Body Become Infected by Germs
• NPR Coronavirus Comic for Kids & Article

COMMUNICATIONS ON COVID-19:

• Districtwide communication on COVID-19 (February 28, 2020)
• KCHD Health Advisory - Update for Kent County Schools and Childcares on Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) (March 6, 2020)
• Kent County Health Department, Mercy Health, Metro Health – University of Michigan and Spectrum Health Work Together to Prepare for COVID-19

This press release was produced by Grand Rapids Public Schools. The views expressed here are the author’s own.