Dear B’nai Shalom Community,
As many of you know, on Tuesday, February 25th, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) asked all Americans to be prepared for the potential spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the United States. Information about the outbreak of COVID-19 in China, its spread to the U.S., and other areas of the world are evolving rapidly. We are monitoring the situation and taking actions aimed at keeping our community safe and healthy.
The CDC website provides basic information about the coronavirus and how to prevent it. You may find this information by clicking
here
.
The World Health Organization (WHO) also has up-to-date information regarding coronavirus
here.
The staff and I are currently participating in webinars for independent schools about the coronavirus and planning to address any developments with the potential spread of the virus. We receive valuable information from the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS), the North Carolina Association of Independent Schools (NCAIS), and Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools.
It is important to remember that handling the spread of a serious contagion like the coronavirus is primarily a task for public health agencies. Any directives from the World Health Organization, CDC, or local governmental organizations will be followed.
In the meantime, it is imperative that we all do our part to reduce the danger of infection by observing best practices for preventing incidences of the flu and other illnesses within our school community. The flu season is at its peak right now, and this alone would warrant caution.
As with the flu, the following basic practices are the best ones to follow to prevent illness.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Cover your cough by coughing into your arm or elbow.
- Avoid touching your face.
- Stay home if you are sick.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, (or singing Happy Birthday twice) especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- Get your flu shot, it’s never too late.
We strongly recommend that anyone who is ill or thinks they may be ill should stay home from school and seek medical care, as necessary. Per school policy, students should not return to school until they are fever-free without fever-reducing medication and have not vomited for at least 24 hours.
We will remind students about these good practices and will continue to provide you with any updates.
