March 13, 2020

Please be assured the Chautauqua Lake Central School is closely monitoring daily developments regarding the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. Like all New York school districts, Chautauqua Lake relies on guidance from state and federal agencies, including the Chautauqua County Department of Health & Human Services, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and the national Centers for Disease Control (CDC) when addressing evolving public health issues like coronavirus. Though we do not have any diagnosed cases of COVID-19 in Chautauqua Lake Central School, or in Chautauqua County, we are closely following the guidance these agencies are providing and will continue to do so. 

Chautauqua Lake Central School is currently reviewing its influenza and pandemic response plan and making any necessary revisions to respond to COVID-19 scenarios. The district has also been taking steps, such as cleaning and disinfecting throughout our schools, to minimize the spread of viruses and a variety of other illnesses.

There are a number of steps that students, staff and community members can take to minimize the spread of all respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, according to the NYSDOH:

• 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
  • Heavily soiled hands should be washed
• 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
• Stay up to date on vaccinations, including influenza

If your child develops symptoms of respiratory disease such as fever, coughing and shortness of breath, please contact your school nurse for guidance. The school nurse may recommend that you contact your healthcare provider for further assessment. 

Please be assured that the District stays in constant contact with experts at the Chautauqua County Department of Health & Human Services who help guide a school district's communication and response whenever any member of the community tests positive for a disease that poses a public health risk. The Chautauqua County Department of Health is our first and most important partner in developing a comprehensive public health plan to ensure we are prepared if any cases of the new coronavirus do arise in our community. 

We have created a dedicated page about Coronavirus (COVID-19) on our district website to share information and tips on reducing the spread of disease. Families are also encouraged to bookmark and follow these important resources:

• NYS Department of Health - Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19): https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus/
• CDC Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

In addition, New York State has established a Novel Coronavirus Hotline at 1-888-364-3065, staffed by the NYSDOH, to answer questions about COVID-19. The hotline is available daily from 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.

The District takes the health and safety of our children and staff very seriously and will continue to share information and resources as they become available. As a community, we must work together for the safety and well being of all of us.

March 12, 2020

In an effort to offer the most up-to-date information on the status of the school's response to the COVID-19 virus, we have prepared this update which includes guidance from the Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services as well as the New York State Department of Health and the New York State Department of Education. As noted in the March 11, 2020, letter, please know that we continue to monitor the regular updates from NYSED, the CDC and the DOH. As new information becomes available, our goal is to be prepared and nimble in our response. I have received several calls regarding the status of our school district with respect to possible school closure. Please be advised that, with respect to school closure considerations, we will work in close collaboration with state and local health officials as noted in the School (PreK-12) Guidance: COVID-19 document. 

As our school community and school committees around the county continue to learn from and respond to this significant public health issue, we ask each of you if you recently traveled to identified countries, feel sick with fever, cough or have trouble breathing or develop symptoms to continue to:

• Seek medical care right away. Call ahead and tell them about your travel and symptoms
• Avoid contact with others
• Stay home, except for seeking medical care
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing
• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol
• Contact your local health department

Please check our website and/or Facebook page regularly for updates regarding our school district. In addition, you can visit the additional resources provided below:

• CDC's dedicated 2019 nCoV website: https://www.cdc.gov/nCoV
• NYSDOH's dedicated 2019 nCoV website: https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus
• New York State Center for School Health website: http://www.schoolhealthny.com/

March 11, 2020

We're following up with you from the letter that was sent home on March 4, 2020, regarding Coronavirus. Please know that we continue to monitor the regular updates from NYSED, the CDC and the DOH. As new information becomes available, our goal is to be prepared and nimble in our response. 

We have a strong commitment to keeping every child and employee at CLCS healthy and safe. What can you count on us to have done to prepare?

1. We have reviewed our cleaning protocols within our buildings and cafeterias again, as we did during the recent influenza outbreak. Supervisor of Building and Grounds, Patrick Quinn, will be refreshing all cleaning protocols with all staff, including substitute cleaners and custodians, on March 20, 2020.
2. We are using strict cleaning protocols between classes in our cafeterias. We have ample hand sanitizer available throughout the building. 
3. We are improving our cleaning of shared surfaces like computer keyboards, handrails, light switches and door handles. We are discouraging the sharing of supplies.
4. On our school buses, we are wiping down handrails and seats after each run. We've ordered additional supplies to disinfect the buses every day. 
5. We will transition to a new hand sanitizer that's above 60% alcohol based. We have dispensers in all of our classrooms.
6. We've posted signs regarding effective handwashing in all common areas and our teachers are reviewing these procedures with our youngest students. Our teachers are taking breaks for handwashing and reminding students to wash their hands routinely. We are teaching students to avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. 
7. We are closely monitoring the locations of the outbreak.
8. We are evaluating the number of devices that we have available for our families in the event that this virus impacts us to the point that we are unable to have all students in school. We are considering modes of delivery of instruction under these circumstances also. 

Please remember that the guidance from the Department of Health repeatedly states that we should stay home when sick. Please seek medical attention if your symptoms are those of the Coronavirus. 

All the best to you and your family -- stay safe and healthy. 

March 4, 2020

We recently received guidance from the Commissioners of the New York State Departments of Health and Education that I will share with you.

A new Coronavirus called 2019 Novel (new) Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was first found in Wuhan Hubei Province, China. This virus had not been found in humans before. This Coronavirus can lead to fever, cough and trouble breathing or shortness of breath. There are thousands of diagnosed cases in China and new cases being diagnosed in a number of countries including the United States. 

What Do We Know? 

Since this virus is very new, health authorities continue to carefully watch how this virus spreads. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working hard to learn as much as possible about this new virus so that we can better understand how it spreads and causes illness. The CDC considers this virus to be a serious public health concern. Based on current information the CDC recommends avoiding travel to China and several other countries. Updated travel information related to the 2019-nCoV can be found at https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/warning/novel-coronavirus-china

How Does 2019 Novel (New) Coronavirus Spread?

Health experts believe the virus probably spreads from animals to humans and from person to person. It's not clear yet how easily the virus spreads from person-to-person. The CDC is currently updating their information on the public website on a regular basis. 

Prevention: 

There are currently no vaccines available to protect against this virus. The New York State Department of Health (DOH) recommends the following ways to minimize the spread of all respiratory viruses, including 2019-nCoV:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
• 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 mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing. If you use a tissue, throw it in the trash. 
• Routinely clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Symptoms:

Information to date suggests that 2019-nCoV causes mild-to-moderate illness and symptoms like the flu, including fever, cough and difficulty breathing. 

Are Visitors from China Being Screened? 

Yes, as of February 2^nd new screening protocols are conducted for individuals entering the US from China at designated airports. Pre-K-12 schools may have students who attend school and have traveled to various areas in Asia, including China. Schools may only exclude a student if a local health department informs the school that a student must comply with a quarantine order or the student is symptomatic of a communicable or infectious disease pursuant to Education Law §906.

Important Health Information for Those Who Have Recently Traveled to Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, and Experience Symptoms:

If you recently traveled to Wuhan, China, and other identified countries and feel sick with fever, cough or trouble breathing; OR you develop symptoms within 14 days of traveling there, you should: 

• Seek medical care right away. Call ahead and tell them about your travel and symptoms.
• Avoid contact with others.
• Stay home, except for seeking medical care. 
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing. 
• Wash hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
• Contact your local health department. 

This is an emerging, rapidly changing situation. For questions, please contact your local department of health or the NYS DOH Novel Coronavirus hotline at 1-888-364-3065.

We encourage you to keep up to date about 2019-nCoV, its treatment and prevention by visiting the following websites.

Additional Resources:

CDC's dedicated 2019-nCoV website at https://www.cdc.gov/nCoV

NYSDOH's dedicated 2019-nCoV website at https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus

NYSDOH directory of local health departments at https://www.health.ny.gov/contact/contact_information/

New York State Center for School Health website at https://www.schoolhealthny.com/

Our school Safety Committee met March 4, 2020 to review the latest information from the CDC and adjust our plans accordingly. In addition, we are modifying our facility cleaning protocol in response to CDC recommendations.