Cranford Schools Post Their Own Coronavirus Update

CRANFORD, NJ — The Cranford School District, like many others in the area, recently posted a letter to the school community on its website, about the international spread of the novel coronavirus.

As of Monday night, the virus had killed at least six people in the United States.

The following letter was posted on the website for the Cranford schools by Superintendent Scott Rubin on Thursday:

<blockquote>
Dear Cranford School Community,
The safety and wellness of our school community is our number one priority. We are monitoring the alerts from the CDC about the possibility of the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) within the United States and we continue to follow the current guidance posted by the New Jersey Department of Education and the New Jersey Department of Health. We are also in close contact with the Township Health Officer, Mike Fitzpatrick. Please note, at this time, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New Jersey or in our schools.
The Department of Health and the Cranford Public Schools recommend that all families with a child who (within the past two weeks) has traveled to an area of the world highly impacted by the Coronavirus, to please contact their child’s principal and/or school nurse prior to sending their child back to school. The District and school nurses will refer these cases to our Health Department as they have the jurisdictional responsibility and will work with these families to determine the appropriate timeline for reentry to school. Please only notify the school district about your own child/children who have recently traveled to a country impacted by the Coronavirus. We cannot discuss the health concerns of other students due to confidentiality restrictions.
We are enhancing daily cleaning and sanitizing at all of our schools. Additionally, schools are equipped with hand sanitizer dispensers that contain an alcohol-free foaming product that is 99 percent effective against common disease-causing organisms. While hand washing with soap and water is always preferred to the use of sanitizers, students should be reminded to use the school-provided sanitizers when hand washing is not available.
According to the CDC, “While the immediate risk of this new virus to the American public is believed to be low at this time, everyone can do their part to help us respond to this emerging public health threat.”
We would like to remind you of the recommended precautions for preventing the flu and other viruses:
● Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or into your sleeve, not your hands.
● Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
● Wash hands often, with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds, especially after coughing or sneezing.
● Keep your children home when they are sick.
● Children should not return to school unless they have been fever-free without medication for 24 hours.
● Avoid people who are sick
● Get a flu shot – it’s not too late to be protected
● Clean and disinfect frequently-touched surfaces and objects.
We expect to have periodic updates from the Health Department and will continue to keep you informed. Thank you for your partnership in helping to keep our school community safe and healthy.
Sincerely,
Scott Rubin
Superintendent of Schools</blockquote>