NEW LONDON, New Hampshire — Superintendent Winfried Feneberg reports that Kearsarge Regional School District will cancel non-essential events, activities and trips starting next week.
These activities will be postponed starting Monday, March 16 until further notice. This includes local, statewide and out-of-state travel for students. Additionally, athletic and co-curricular scheduled events (not including practices or rehearsals occurring within the district) are temporarily postponed.
At this time, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (NH DHHS) is reporting that there are two positive cases and four presumptive positive cases of the virus in the state.
The Kearsarge Regional School District is closely following recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and NH DHHS to prevent the spread of the virus. Officials are also communicating with the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association and the state’s Department of Education.
“We know and appreciate the value of the events we are postponing, and made this decision after careful deliberation,” Superintendent Feneberg said. “This is being done out of an abundance of caution in order to keep our students and community safe. We will continue to monitor and reassess the situation, and will share information with the community as it becomes available.”
The novel coronavirus has sparked an outbreak of respiratory disease with symptoms that may appear 2-14 days after exposure including fever, cough and shortness of breath, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and information indicates that most COVID-19 illness is mild.
The COVID-19 situation is very fluid, and new information and guidelines are being posted by the CDC on a regular basis. The CDC offers the following guidance for how COVID-19 spreads.
As always, if anyone displays symptoms of COVID-19, including a fever, cough or shortness of breath, they should not come to work or school and they are advised to contact their primary care physician.
Superintendent Feneberg also wishes to share the following prevention tips from the NH DHHS:
- Wash your hands often with soap and hot water, for a minimum of 20 seconds, and use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol content) if soap and water are not readily available.
- When you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth with a tissue and dispose of the tissue afterward. Lastly, be sure sure to wash your hands.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
- If you are feeling ill and/or have a fever, do not go to work or school.
- Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick.
- Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces.
- Get a flu shot.
For more information, visit the NH DHHS website here and the CDC’s website here.
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