Montclair School Nurses Take Coronavirus Precautions For Students

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Montclair school administrators and staff are taking proactive measures and trying to alleviate concerns about the novel coronavirus recently dubbed COVID-19.

On Feb. 28, Montclair's interim superintendent and nursing supervisor issued an update about the district’s preparations regarding the potentially deadly virus. (Read the full statement)

Globally, at least 85,000 people have been infected and 3,000 people have died from the new coronavirus which was first identified in Wuhan, China, reports say.

The virus poses a "low risk" for most New Jersey residents, state health officials say.

There have been no reported cases of the virus in New Jersey, although the state has forcibly quarantined a person traveling through Newark Airport and officials have tested a suspected coronavirus case, which turned out negative.

• See related article: Gov. Phil Murphy Issues NJ Update On Coronavirus
• See related article: Newark Airport Sees NJ's First Mandatory Coronavirus Quarantine

However, officials across the state – including in the Montclair Public School District – say they’re getting ready to handle any potential outbreak.

The district's message to parents, guardians and the school community follows below.

MONTCLAIR SCHOOLS AND CORONAVIRUS

"The Montclair Public Schools continue preparations for the possibility of a coronavirus epidemic.

"Our school nurses are moving through classrooms with age appropriate educational programs focusing on stopping the spread of germs. Our students are excited to participate in these lessons, and are asking many engaging questions.

"Students who are ill with respiratory symptoms, flu-like illness, or diarrhea/vomiting should stay home for 24 hours fever-free without fever-reducing medication, and/or 24 hours free of diarrhea/vomiting. Please call your child’s school to report his/her/they absence and contact your child’s primary healthcare provider for recommendations.

"Students with a fever of 100 degrees or above, severe respiratory symptoms and/or diarrhea/vomiting will be excluded from school.

"The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) does not recommend school closure for outbreaks of infectious disease. The decision to close our schools is an administrative one that will be made only after consultation with The Montclair Department of Health and our district physician. The decision will be made based on the following factors:

• Recommended control measures are inadequate
• Schools are unable to function due to increased illness/absence of staff members
• The NJDOH declares an epidemic

"We will continue to communicate with you when we receive updated guidelines from the NJDOH. Updates will be posted on our website: www.montclair.k12.nj.us. We are in the process of discussing options to handle absences and continuation of instruction."

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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.

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.

Residents who have questions about the virus can contact the State of New Jersey's hotline at 1 (800) 222-1222. The hotline is home of the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System, and is staffed 24 hours a day by state health workers.

This article contains reporting by the Patch national desk

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Don’t forget to visit the Patch Montclair Facebook page. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Sign up for Patch email newsletters.