Coronavirus March 12, 2020 UPDATE from Coos Bay Public Schools

Dear Parents and Guardians,

This morning Governor Kate Brown released a statement to address the spread of COVID-19
Coronavirus in the State of Oregon. She shared that her goal was to slow down the transmission of
the disease and preserve hospital’s capacity to effectively respond to potential and/or confirmed
cased of the COVID-19 Coronavirus.

 

While there are no confirmed cases in our area the new guidance from Governor Brown and
Oregon Department of Education will affect the typical operations of schools. Please note this
situation is continuously evolving. We will do our best to provide up to date information as it
becomes available. Updated information will be provided on the Coos Bay School District website
and Facebook page. At the Governors recommendation the following will be implemented:

 

• Schools will remain open
• All field trips will be cancelled for the next 30 days. Trips scheduled after that time frame
will be individually announced or announced at a later date.
• Large gatherings such as music concerts, carnivals, math nights etc. will be cancelled.
• Sport competitions will include participants only. NO FANS! For updated information,
please check the Coos Bay School District website and Facebook page.

 

We understand that these announcements are concerning to you. We continue to take precautionary
steps to enhance our already rigorous cleaning schedule to include daily disinfecting and sanitizing
of all school environments, as well as focusing on handwashing and good hygiene practices with
students and staff for blowing our nose, coughing, or sneezing. We are also placing reminders for
good hygiene practices and supporting our staff and students to frequently use handwashing
stations. Please assist us by helping your student remain healthy by implementing the following
preventative measures recommended from health officials:

• Practice good hand hygiene and help your student learn to wash their hands really well.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Avoid touching your
eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap
and water are not available.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue. You can also
cough or sneeze into your sleeve. Throw used tissues in the trash and immediately wash
your hands with soap and water.
• Avoid sharing drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, dishes, towels or other items. Wash
these items thoroughly with soap and water after use.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick whenever possible.
• Practice good health habits: Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work
or school, especially when someone is ill.

As a reminder it is important to keep students at home when they are ill. If your student has
any of the following please keep them home from school: Temperature of 100.4, coughing,
vomiting, diarrhea, any rash not yet diagnosed by a physician, red or pink itchy eye, and/or
drainage from the eye and any contagious illness such as the chicken pox, strep throat or the flu. If
you have concerns about your student’s illness, please contact your local health authorities are
advising families to seek medical attention.
We encourage you to continue to send your student to school if they are healthy. Should you
decide to keep your student at home please call the office to report the absence and develop a plan
to ensure your student stays on track with their learning.
For more information on the COVID-19 Coronavirus you may find the following resources
helpful:

• County Health Departments of Coos, Curry and Douglas counties
• Oregon Department of Education: https://www.oregon.gov/ode/students-andfamily/healthsafety/Pages/COVID19.aspx
• Oregon Health Authority: healthoregon.org/coronavirus
• Centers for Disease Control (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-
ncov/index.html

We know you will likely have many questions and we will attempt to answer some of them below.
Please know that we are doing everything we can to keep our students and staff healthy and safe.
Thank you for your partnership in that effort.

 

Respectfully,
Bryan Trendell
Coos Bay Public Schools
Superintendent

 

Q. How is COVID-19 Spread and what are the symptoms?

A. Although the exact mechanisms of transmission are not fully known, other coronaviruses spread
from an infected person to others through:

• the air by coughing and sneezing
• close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands
• touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes

Infected people have experienced a range of illness, from mild (similar to a common cold) to
severe pneumonia that requires hospitalization. So far, deaths have been reported mainly in older
adults who had other health conditions.
People who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 have reported symptoms that may appear in as
few as 2 days or as long as 14 days after exposure to the virus:
• fever
• cough

• difficulty breathing

If you have symptoms, call your healthcare provider to identify the safest way to receive care. Let
them know if you have traveled to an affected area or come in contact with an ill person who has
traveled to an affected area within the last 14 days.

Q. Why wouldn’t you close the school to avoid having so many people in one place?

A. Updated guidance from the Oregon Health Authority and County Public Health is that because
COVID-19 is in the community, closing a school may not be an effective method of stopping the
spread of the virus.

 

We will continue with our enhanced cleaning efforts, reinforcing health hygiene expectations with
students, and asking students and staff to stay home if they are ill. Those actions are thought to be
the most beneficial in keeping people healthy and stopping the spread of the virus.

 

Q. What exactly do you mean by enhanced cleaning?

A. We are having an external custodial team come in the school to conduct an additional cleaning
of the building today - focusing on high touch point areas.

Q. I haven’t been asked to self-quarantine by the Health Department, but I’m concerned
about my personal medical situation. What should I do?

A. Please consult with your medical provider for guidance around your personal situation.