South Huntington Superintendent's Letter On Coronavirus

SOUTH HUNTINGTON, NY — South Huntington area schools reminded parents and guardians of measures to take regarding the deadly COVID-19, known as the coronavirus. In a letter sent out Wednesday, Superintendent David Bennardo informed parents of how the district will combat the disease's spread.

The district has been in regular contact with the Center for Disease Control and New York State Department of Health and will continue relaying all important information to staff and families, Bennardo said. South Huntington School District officials attended regional training sessions, which informed them of the best ways to clean buildings and combat viral infections. All desks, tables, and door knobs will be cleaned with Virex every night.

"I wanted to take a moment to address some of our recent communications and actions relative to the global Coronavirus scare," Bennardo wrote. "It is important to emphasize from the outset that there have not been Coronavirus cases in our area, and we certainly do not have a manifestation in our community. With that said, we are not in any way minimizing the legitimacy of concern relative to this virus, and are taking the situation seriously."

Medical professionals are emphasizing that Coronavirus prevention is very similar to that of the flu, according to Bennardo. The regular flu has a higher mortality percentage rate than COVID-19, he said.

"Additionally, 80 percent of those infected will see their symptoms resolve without medical intervention," Bennardo said.

The Center for Disease Control and Health Department recommend frequent hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, coughing and sneezing into arms, tissues, and not hands, and hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol, as the best preventative methods, Bennardo wrote. Families should see their health care provider for treatment and testing if COVID-19 symptoms such as shortness of breath arise, he said. He also emphasized the importance of staying home and not trying to "tough it out" should a student or staff member feel ill.

A series of Health and Education Department letters were posted on the South Huntington district's website and can be found under the announcements tab.

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11 cases of the new coronavirus were confirmed in New York, officials said Wednesday.

Tensions over how to contain the coronavirus escalated Tuesday in the United States as the death toll climbed to nine, The Associated Press reported. Lawmakers expressed doubts about whether the government can ramp up testing to effectively mitigate the spread. All the deaths happened in Washington State, and most lived at a nursing home. The number of cases in the United States overall has risen past 100 in at least 15 states, with 27 in Washington, the AP reported.

Current symptoms reported for people with COVID-19 include mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough and difficulty breathing, the fedeal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

The virus is spreading from person to person, and someone sickened with the virus can spread it to others, medical officials said. There is currently no vaccine to prevent the new coronavirus. The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus.

The CDC recommends preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, such as:

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Stay home if sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue away.
• Clean and disinfect frequently-touched objects and surfaces using regular household cleaning spray or wipes.

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