Schools contemplate action if coronavirus reaches their district

BAY CITY (WJRT) - (2/28/2020) - Mid-Michigan school districts are developing an action plan in case coronavirus sickens teachers and students.

© Provided by Flint-Saginaw-Bay City WJRT

Davison Community Schools plans to send a letter to parents next week with information on how to decrease the risk of getting sick, along with links to health websites.

Load Error

Other school districts are preparing to do even more.

"We are continuing to monitor this, just like everybody else. We're just constantly staying in contact with local and state authorities to make sure we are doing this as a team," said Bay City Public Schools Superintendent Stephen Bigelow.

As more information comes in from various health organizations, school officials will be able to figure out a specific line of defense to help keep both students and teachers from contracting the disease.

"There's so much that we don't know. Obviously, you're preparing for something that is unknown. However, we know that many of the symptoms in the way that the coronavirus attacks is similar to the flu," Bigelow said.

That means cleaning surfaces, lots of hand washing and extra sanitizing to keep the spread of germs down. In the event of an outbreak, Bay City Public Schools are ready to take more severe measures if needed, including canceling school.

"We do that because when you have the majority of your student body that is ill or susceptible to illness, it's hard to get through a day of quality education," Bigelow said.

While snow days are common in the winter months, there could very well be sick days because of illness, whether that be due to coronavirus or the other forms of the flu.