March 11, 2020
Parents/Guardians,
The health, safety and well-being of our students and staff are our top priorities. With the recently elevated discussion regarding coronavirus (COVID-19) in the news, we want to take a moment to reinforce preventive safety measures and reference our process and communications.
While there are NO confirmed cases at the County level regarding coronavirus, we are continuing to closely monitor updates and are following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations in proactively planning should measures need to be put in place. All Mercer County Superintendents/Executive Director and School Nurses are maintaining regular contact with Mercer County leaders, Pennsylvania Department of Health officials, and health care providers to discuss official updates, share information and, if needed, to coordinate any response. We are committed to collaborating in this effort and making the best possible decisions for our students, staff and families.
In all districts, we are working with our custodians and cleaning companies to ensure that we are very diligent in our cleaning practices. As a best practice for overall health in cold and influenza season, the CDC recommends that individuals receive the influenza vaccination and engage in everyday, preventative measures to reduce the spread of germs and avoid illness, including:
- Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
- Avoid touching eyes, mouth and nose with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with individuals who are sick. - Stay home when you are sick. The CDC recommends that individuals remain home for a minimum of 24 hours after you no longer have a fever.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then immediately discard the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Take any anti-viral medication prescribed to you as instructed.
Any specific health concerns should be directed to your family physician or healthcare provider. Anyone who will be traveling in the coming weeks may also want to take note of the CDC’s travel advisory at
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html. More information on the coronavirus is available at
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.
Our districts will provide more information as it becomes available or in the event that the situation changes. Thank you for your continued support in keeping our students and staff safe.
Sincerely,
[Signed by all Mercer County Superintendents]
Please click the below links for the original copy of this letter. You can also refer to this article for additional official information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Pennsylvania Department of Health.