COVID-19 Information

LETTERS TO FAMILIES
 
 
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Preparedness
As COVID-19 (Coronavirus) moves across the United States, Franklin Regional wants
to ensure families that the District is working closely with the Pennsylvania Department
of Health and the Pennsylvania Department of Education to stay well informed about
the virus. On Friday, March 13, 2020, Governor Wolf closed all K-12 Pennsylvania
schools for 10 business days effective Monday, March 16, 2020. The Wolf
Administration will continue to monitor COVID-19 in the commonwealth, and at the end
of 10 days will reevaluate and decide whether continued closure is needed.
There are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Westmoreland County.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends students and families take the
same precautions as they do during the flu season:

 Practice effective and frequent hand washing. Washing hands with soap
and water for at least 20 seconds or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
(60% alcohol or greater) when soap and water are not available, are the most
important steps you can take to decrease the spread of germs. Hand washing
is especially important after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing into a
tissue, going to the bathroom, and before eating or preparing food.

 Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

 Cover coughs and sneezes with your elbow or a tissue. Germs from
respiratory droplets will spread less from person to person if trapped in fabric
at the bend of your arm or in a tissue. Droplets on hands will quickly and
easily spread illness from person to person through touch.

 Know the signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Fever (measured
temperature greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit), cough, and shortness of
breath.

 Keep sick children at home. Students with a measured temperature of
greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit must be out of school until they are fever
free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications such as
Tylenol or Ibuprofen. Lowering body temperature with medicine does not
remove the illness; it only decreases the symptoms of the illness.
 
FR School District will continue to keep our school community updated and will
immediately notify our families should additional precautions become necessary.
 

COVID-19: Frequently Asked Questions 

 

To help ease the fears that sometimes arise from the result of inaccurate information on social media, the District has assembled some helpful facts from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) regarding common questions about the COVID-19 (Coronavirus). 

What is Coronavirus?  

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a type of virus that causes diseases of varying severities, ranging from the common cold like (upper respiratory infection) to more serious respiratory disease.

How is it spread?

  • Through airborne particles as a result of coughing and sneezing
  • Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands
  • Touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes before washing your hands

Because Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is new, we are learning more each day about the transmission patterns and incubation periods.

What are the symptoms?

  • Fever (greater than 100 F)
  • Cough
  • Difficulty Breathing

What can I do?

  • Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.  If soap and water are not available, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
  • Do not send your sick child to school.  Assess them every morning for symptoms such as cough, fever (measured with a thermometer), or shortness of breath.  If symptoms are detected or reported to you by your child, please keep your child home from school. 
  • Stay home when you are sick, except to seek medical care.
  • Cover your nose and mouth with your elbow or a tissue when coughing and sneezing.  Dispose of the tissue after one use and wash or sanitize your hands.
  • Avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms. 
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Inform the school if you or a family member develop symptoms of concern or have been exposed to a person who has COVID-19.

The outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is changing rapidly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will always have the most up to date information available online at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.

 

RESOURCES