In response to growing concerns about the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, Grayson County Schools sent home with students on Tuesday a statement regarding the new virus.
Gov. Andy Beshear announced on Tuesday that two more people in Kentucky have been diagnosed with the virus, bringing the number of people diagnosed in Kentucky to eight.
The two news cases come from Harrison County, giving that northern Kentucky county five of the eight confirmed cases. The other cases are in Fayette (two) and Jefferson (one) counties.
“We have been closely following and monitoring the information and guidance provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), Kentucky Department of Health, and the Grayson County Health Center,” Grayson County Schools Superintendent Doug Robinson said in a statement to students and parents, “with additional guidance and recommendations from the Kentucky Department of Education.”
Robinson said the district’s highest priority concerning coronavirus is “prevention to keep students and staff healthy and safe.”
“Our schools are prepared to deal with outbreaks of illness, such as the flu, and have done so for many years,” Robinson said. “COVID-19 is a new strain, but the same responses and procedures used during outbreaks of flu are the same responses and procedures outlined by health officials as the best way to prevent the spread of illness.”
Robinson, in consultation with health officials and using CDC, WHO, and Kentucky Department of Public Health guidelines, recommended citizens do the following to limit the chance of being exposed to or spreading the virus:
- Wash your hands using soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a disposable tissue and place it immediately in the trash, or cough or sneeze into your bent elbow (not you hand).
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Stay home if you don’t feel well — Don’t go to school or work when you are sick and do not return to school until you are fever-free for at least 24 hours.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Get a flu shot if you haven’t already had one this season.
“We will continue to keep you informed about these issues and our response to COVID-19,” Robinson assured. “Should there be any cases of COVID-19 in our community or schools, we will communicate directly with families, students, staff, and the general public through all of our communication platforms.”
For more information on the coronavirus, visit the CDC’s website at cdc.gov/coronavirus.
(Photo: GC Schools Superintendent Doug Robinson)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
