SPOKANE, Wash. — Leaders of school districts in Eastern Washington and North Idaho said they have preparedness plans in place to deal with possible coronavirus cases.
Becky Doughty, the health director for Spokane Public Schools, said staff are taking precautions just like they would with the pandemic flu.
“We’re very aware of the current situation, and we’re watching it closely,” she said.
Spokane school leaders met with the Spokane Regional Health District Thursday to discuss precautions.
Those plans would require district leaders to immediately notify the health district if a student or employee reported they either tested positive for coronavirus or were in close contact with someone who tested positive.
School leaders also reviewed their preparedness plan, which includes sending messages to parents and discussing protocol of when to close a school if necessary.
Doughty said their guidelines come from the health district.
After notifying health district leaders of a potential coronavirus patient, the district could decide to isolate that patient and advise a school to close.
“We are doing everything that we possibly can to make sure that we are ready,” Doughty said.
Coeur d'Alene Public Schools officials said they are being proactive and following the recommendations and guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in preparation for potential local cases of coronavirus.
“Our Health Services team maintains a close working relationship with the professionals at Panhandle Health, Kootenai Health and the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare. We will work closely in collaboration with all public health officials in our region to provide guidance, promote awareness and respond appropriately in the event this infection is confirmed in our community,” Superintendent Steven Cook said.
The district said they have reviewed all policies and plans related to disease outbreak in our schools to ensure all resources and procedures are in place.
Central Valley School District's Director of Communications Marla Nunberg said, "We will follow the direction of the Department of Health and are utilizing protocol with an adaptation of our pandemic flu plan."
West Valley School District Public Relations Director Sue Shields said the district is also in communication with the Spokane Regional Health District and they will follow procedures related to their infectious disease protocol.
KREM 2 also reached out the the Mead and East Valley school districts but haven't heard back.