Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. officials are preparing for the possibility that the new coronavirus could spread locally when classes resume after spring break on March 23.
BCSC has formed an internal team that has been monitoring the global outbreak and has met regularly to prepare contingency plans in the event that a student, staff member or their household relatives test positive for the virus, including potentially closing a building or the entire school corporation, holding e-learning days and cancelling extracurricular activities or sporting events depending on the circumstances, said BCSC Superintendent Jim Roberts.
The total number of confirmed cases of the virus, known as COVID-19, in Indiana increased to 10 on Wednesday after the Indiana State Department of Health confirmed four new cases, including three in neighboring Johnson County. Other cases have been reported in Marion, Hendricks, Boone, Howard, Nobel and Adams counties.
One of the cases in Hendricks County was detected in an elementary school student enrolled at Hickory Elementary School in Avon, according to The Associated Press.
The Avon Community School Corp. later closed all schools until March 20 after a second student started exhibiting symptoms of the illness to “minimize any exposure in large groups and will allow plenty of time to have all buildings and buses cleaned,” according to a statement on the school corporation’s website.
As of Wednesday, there were no confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 in Bartholomew County, said Columbus Regional Health spokeswoman Kelsey DeClue.
“As we’ve looked at this (outbreak) over the last couple of weeks, we have realized that if we were to have a student, staff member or family member (test positive), it’s possible that we would have to close either a building or the entire school corporation based upon the circumstances for a period of time,” Roberts said. “That period of time is still to be determined, but the time frame that has been cited the most often as a possibility is 14 days. …Before we make any closing decision, whether it be a single building or the entire corporation, we would be in close contact with our local public health officials and also the Indiana State Department of Health to understand the current circumstances.”
BCSC officials are urging staff members, students and their families to reconsider non-essential travel during spring break, which starts today and runs through March 22, and follow federal and state health guidelines for travel and prevention of disease transmission.
The school corporation has asked its staff members and family members of its student body to self-report any planned international travel during spring break in an online questionnaire, according to a statement released in English and Spanish on Tuesday.
Additionally, BCSC is requiring individuals who travel to countries designated as a Level 3 risk by the federal Centers for Disease Control to self-quarantine for 14 days upon return. Individuals who travel to Level 1 and 2 countries or travel on cruise ships may be required to self-quarantine for 14 days.
Currently, Level 3 countries include China, Iran, Italy and South Korea, according to the CDC’s website. Japan is listed as a Level 2 country, and Hong Kong is listed as Level 1 destination. The CDC designations, however, could change as the outbreak evolves.
On Wednesday, BCSC officials sent home laptops with students in grades 1 to 12 in case e-learning measures are put in place after spring break.
For more on this story, see Thursday’s Republic.
