Dear CA BOCES Community:
CA BOCES is committed to the health and well-being of all students, staff, and greater community. As you may be aware, in addition to annual influenza cases, a novel Coronavirus (aka COVID-19) has been spreading in many countries over the last couple of months, which has resulted in a small number of new cases in our state.
While there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our region, we have been in regular touch with local health officials, the New York State Department of Health (NYDOH) and the New York State Education Department (NYSED) and will continue to assess how we can prepare for and respond to potential cases.
Stopping the spread of the virus through everyday practices is the best way to keep people healthy. More information on COVID-19 is available here through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The following everyday actions, all of which are currently being promoted in all component districts and CA BOCES locations, help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses:
- 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 sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- 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.
Currently, the risk to the general public is low, so there are no additional precautions recommended for the general public at this time. However, additional recommendations from local or state governments, NYSED or DOH could come at any point. We will communicate those as they become available.
Sincerely,
Scott Payne
District Superintendent and CEO
Additional resources:
CDC Coronavirus Fact Sheets
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/2019-ncov-factsheet.pdf
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/sick-with-2019-nCoV-fact-sheet.pdf
Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus/
Travel: Frequently Asked Questions and Answers https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/faqs.html
COVID-19: What is Stigma and What Causes It? https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fstigma-faq.html
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) – Frequently Asked Questions – Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html#prevention
Prevention, Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention-treatment.html
New York State Department of Health https://www.health.ny.gov/
Last updated: March 10, 2020