Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

It is a novel virus named for the crownlike spikes that protrude from its surface. The coronavirus can infect both animals and people and can cause a range of respiratory illnesses from the common cold to more dangerous conditions like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS.

Washing your hands frequently is the most important thing you can do, along with staying at home when you’re sick.

In most situations and including in regards to coronavirus, washing hands with soap and water is the most effective way to get rid of germs and stay healthy. Below are the CDC’s guidelines:

1. Wet hands with clean, running water (hot or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between fingers, and under nails.
3. Scrub for at least 20 seconds.
4. Rinse your hands thoroughly under clean, running water.
5. Dry hands on a clean towel or air dry.

If soap and water are not available, a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol should be used. As a reminder, sanitizers are less effective when hands are dirty or greasy. Below are the CDC’s guidelines for hand sanitizer use:

1. Apply sanitizer to the palm of one hand.
2. Rub hands together.
3. Ensure that the gel covers all surfaces of your hands and fingers by rubbing for approximately 20 seconds.

Ensuring that students are following best hygiene practices, including thorough hand-washing, can be a challenge. The CDC provides resources to help school staff address the issue effectively with younger children.

If you plan to travel outside of the United States, please refer to the CDC website below and inform your school nurse immediately if you have concerns or questions about CDC Warning Levels at any point during your travel. As it currently stands, this would mean 14 days away from school from the time your student returns to the U.S. CDC Travel Health Notices

CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators.  Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.

Read more about face coverings at the CDC's Website.

There are currently no antiviral drugs licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat COVID-19.