The Union Public School District has released the following statement with regards to the coronavirus pandemic this morning:
We are aware that the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) announced yesterday (Wednesday, March 11) the state’s first presumptive case of COVID-19 in Forrest County. The patient is currently under voluntary isolation in his home.
We are receiving updates from local and state health authorities, including the Mississippi Department of Education, the Centers for Disease Control, and the Department of Homeland Security. We will keep you posted as we receive additional information. We will post new information using our Facebook page and the One Call Now communication system which sends notices to parents via text.
The health and safety of our students and staff is our top priority. We will follow the guidance issued by governing and health authorities related to COVID-19 in regard to any needed closures or other precautionary steps. We are preparing multiple plans of action so we are ready to respond however necessary.
Here is information from the CDC regarding everyday actions to help reduce the spread of germs that you can talk about with your children:
Remind children to stay away from people who are coughing or sneezing or sick.
Remind them to cough or sneeze into a tissue or their elbow, then throw the tissue into the trash.
Discuss any new actions that may be taken at school to help protect children and school staff. (for example, increased handwashing)
Get children into a handwashing habit. Teach them to wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing their nose, coughing, or sneezing; going to the bathroom; and before eating or preparing food.
