How can I protect myself and my students from COVID-19?

There are some common-sense precautions that you can take that apply to many infectious diseases.

• The most important precaution is frequent hand washing with soap and water and the use of 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unclean hands.

• Encourage people around you to cover their nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing

  or sneezing.

Helpful prevention and treatment guidelines can be found on the CDC’s website: Prevention and Treatment and Guidelines for Hand Hygiene

How can schools prevent the spread of COVID-19?

As COVID-19 evolves, the most important thing for schools to do is plan and prepare. Schools should do the following when it comes to planning and preparing:

  

• Review, update and implement emergency operations plans in collaboration with your local health departments.

• Ensure handwashing strategies include washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

• Develop information-sharing systems with parents and local partners.

• Perform routine cleaning, including frequently touched surfaces.

How can we combat the spread of germs in schools?

• CDC Guidance for Administrations of Childcare and K-12 Schools has provided guidance for administrators at both the school and district level to plan, prepare, and respond to COVID-19. This resource provides information for schools which do not have COVID-19 identified in their community and for schools with identified cases of COVID-19 in their communities.

• Encourage students to remember if they cough to cover their mouth, and if they sneeze, to sneeze into a tissue and immediately dispose of the tissue.

• Stop the spread of germs: regularly clean and disinfect objects and surfaces around you that are touched frequently.

• Avoid touching your hands, nose and mouth.

• Develop lessons that reinforce and teach handwashing with your students and make sure

  they know the steps to take when washing their hands.