March 4, 2020
Dear Hathaway Brown Community,
In response to emerging coronavirus concerns we are partnering with local experts in epidemiology, infectious disease and public health officials to ensure that the HB community is well prepared. A team of administrators headed by Associate Head of School Sheri Homany is in daily contact with these experts and we are putting in place measures to mitigate the risk of viral exposure in our school. These measures include emphasizing increased attention to hygiene for students and adults of all ages, posted signs that describe proper hand washing techniques, and age-appropriate discussions about health and wellness. We also have made hand sanitizer easily accessible in all parts of campus. Our housekeeping staff has been employing heightened disinfection measures throughout the school
Please emphasize at home these recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control to help prevent infection:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- The CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
As we noted last week in our joint statement issued in partnership with other CCIS schools, we recognize that some CCIS families of day schools, have plans to travel overseas during the upcoming Spring Break. We encourage those families to follow the safe travel precautions as well as the guidelines to avoid nonessential travel to countries listed on the Centers for Disease Control website at https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel. The CDC recommends that travelers returning from these designated countries spend 14 days in home quarantine, the length of time for COVID-19 symptoms to develop. This CDC recommendation has been made in order to mitigate the possible community spread of COVID-19 in the United States, as there is no vaccine or medication to treat or cure COVID-19. Should your family make the decision to travel to one of the countries listed on the CDC list, we urge you to heed the recommendation to keep your child(ren) at home from school for 14 days following your return. Likewise, we request that you inform HB of any travel any of the members of your family are taking to any of these designated countries before, during, or after Spring Break. We also have emphasized with our students that in any public health issue it is important to take all necessary precautions but it is equally important to take care in how we talk about the issue, not blaming groups of people or applying stereotypes in these situations.
We are making necessary preparations for the possibility of continuing coursework if school were to be interrupted either for individual students or for the community as a whole. Division-specific strategies are being developed to enable us to respond quickly and effectively should the need arise. The good news is that this particular virus currently poses minimal risk to school-aged children and to people who are generally in good health. For families who are concerned about exposure or who have had family members return from international travel it is recommended that they contact the Department of Public Health in their county of residence. Public Health officials will assess the risk and provide information regarding appropriate responses. Contact information is provided below for Cuyahoga County, along with links to helpful resources. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact Associate Head of School Sheri Homany at 216.320.8769 or shomany@hb.edu.
Cuyahoga County Board of Health Contact Information
Epidemiology, Surveillance and Informatics:
216.201.2090
or
Amy Anter BSN, RN, Communicable Disease Specialist
216.201.2000 ext. 1612; aanter@ccbh.net
General Information on Coronavirus (COVID-19):
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) International Travel Advisories:
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel
For Travel within the United States:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html
Thank you for your partnership,
Fran Bisselle
Head of School