Coronavirus & Flu: What La Porte ISD is doing and what the CDC recommends for everyone
As always, we in La Porte ISD share your concern for the health and well-being of our children. We understand that the recent reports about COVID-19 (coronavirus) have caused concern for parents and want to assure you that we are monitoring this situation very closely. We are also keeping track of flu season, which is far more prevalent.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports, as of February 26, reported 57 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and classified the immediate health risk level to the American public as low. The agency simultaneously reported at least 29 million cases of influenza, including 280,000 hospitalizations, and classified flu activity as high.
What you should do
The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the single best way to protect against flu. (There is no vaccine currently for COVID-19.) Additionally, the agency recommends the following everyday preventive actions:
- Avoid close contact with sick people.
- While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible.
- Stay home if you are sick.
- Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that might be contaminated with germs.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub with at least 60 percent alcohol.
What La Porte ISD is doing
La Porte ISD has strong protocols in place that allow us to respond quickly and efficiently when a student or employee becomes sick with any potentially contagious illness; the health and safety of those in our care is always our top priority.
In addition to maintaining close contact with health officials, the district began a heightened districtwide disinfecting effort in late-January.
For more information, visit the CDC’s web page on influenza or its COVID-19 (coronavirus) page, or contact your health care provider. If you have specific questions about La Porte ISD’s protocols for dealing with contagious illnesses, please feel free to contact the school nurse at your child’s campus. We appreciate your continued support in maintaining a healthy learning environment for our children.