Schools Prepare For Potential Coronavirus Outbreak
CITRUS HEIGHTS (CBS13) — As communities across the country prepare for the growing coronavirus, some parents wonder how schools plan to respond.
Area school districts are warning parents about the potential for a coronavirus outbreak. The staff at San Juan Unified School District is bringing out the big guns, telling parents they're prepared for anything. The staff at Mesa Verde High School is ready to suit up to use a machine called "The Texus," which sprays chlorine tablets on school surfaces.
Leaders say the machine, hazmat suits and other cleaning supplies are hard to get on the market as the coronavirus spreads. They say it's just one of the tools in their toolbox to fight a potential outbreak of the virus.
"We have everything, we have a plan, and when we get to the trigger point, we would be able to go in there and get some work done," said Chris Ralston, Maintenance & Operations at San Juan Unified.
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They'll use this protocol only if a bad virus hits the district. The coronavirus is spreading at a time when school districts are already dealing with flu season, and fighting coronavirus is a lot like dealing with the flu season, according to district leaders.
"If we have a confirmed case of coronavirus, we would respond appropriately and hitting the entire site, getting it disinfected," said Ralston.
School closures are a possibility, and districts are planning for that closures are generally decided based on a percentage of absenteeism among staff and the student body. But leaders here say they've stocked up on the products they need to fight the virus.
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"We've worked with all of our vendors to provide us our product making sure our product will work against everything that's potentially out there and then make sure our staff is trained and ready to go," said Ralston.
Other area school districts including Sacramento City School District, Rocklin Unified School District and Yuba City Unified School District have all sent letters home to parents and staff explaining their plans for preparedness related to coronavirus.