COVID-19 Advisory

Understanding that many families have questions regarding the recent outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) and how it may impact our school community, I write to share the most recent information we have available.  MERSD is checking regularly with The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as with our local and state Departments of Health, as they are providing daily updates and recommendations. You may use the following link from the CDC to stay updated: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.


While this is a public health concern, the CDC continues to report that the immediate risk to the general public remains low at this time. Yet, in today’s connected world, the potential for infectious disease is always of concern. As with seasonal flu, there are general precautions we can all take to remain as healthy as possible:

• Stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Cover coughs and sneezes. Use a tissue to cover coughs and sneezes, then dispose of the tissue. When a tissue is not available, cough or sneeze into your elbow.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces or objects. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work or school, especially when someone is ill.
• Wash hands for 20 seconds. Washing hands often under clean, running water can help prevent the spread of germs. For more guidance see the CDC: When and How to Wash Your Hands. If you cannot wash your hands, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60-95% alcohol.

Our district Facilities Department is vigilantly sanitizing our educational spaces as we typically do during cold and flu season; however, it is important to keep children home from school when they are ill. If your child has any of the following symptoms please keep him or her home from school: temperature greater than 100, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, any rash not yet diagnosed by a physician, red or pink itchy eye, and/or drainage from eye, and any contagious illness such as chickenpox, strep throat or flu.  For additional guidance on when to keep your student home, please contact your school nurse.  Also please inform your school nurse should your child be diagnosed with a contagious illness.

As the situation involving the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) evolves, we will update you as information is shared with us.