COVID-19 INFORMATION

 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak                       

• Most Recent News from the RI Department of Health
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Coronavirus Disease 2019 
• Rhode Island: Department of Health
• Town of South Kingstown: COVID-19 Information 
• Massachusetts: Department of Public Health
• Share Facts, Not Fear 
• Stop the spread of germs poster
• What you need to know about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Factsheet 
• For updated information on the extent of the international outbreak, please see the daily World Health Organization Situation Report.
• Videos: What is Coronavirus Disease? What's my risk? 
• Speaking to Your Child About COVID-19

• RIDOH COVID-19 Hotline: People with general questions about COVID-19 can call 401-222-8022RIDOH COVID-19

• MENTAL HEALTH Hotline: People in need of any type of MENTAL HEALTH supports can call  401-414-5465

• CORONAVIRUS ANXIETY: Please take a minute to view this great resource about managing Coronavirus / COVID-19 anxiety. https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/pandemics    This is something that we ALL should think about.This includes how we should speak to our children about it.

Hand hygiene - Students and staff should be encouraged to wash hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing and sneezing. If soap and water is unavailable, sanitizers may be used.

Kids Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJG72sycQB8
Printable: https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/campaign.html

Respiratory etiquette- RIDOH and CDC recommend covering the nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing (or a shirt sleeve or elbow if no tissue is available) and throwing the tissue in the trash after use, followed by hand washing.

Kids Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQINuSTP1jI&feature=youtu.be
Printable: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/protect/cdc_cough.pdf

Routine Cleaning- School staff should routinely clean areas that students and staff touch often with the cleaners they typically use. Cleaning should take place immediately if there is contamination of surfaces with blood, stool or vomit. CDC recommends personal protective equipment as part of universal precautions when cleaning body fluid spills.

CDC Instructions: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/school/cleaning.htm

Preventing Stigma and Discrimination - At this time most people in the United States have little immediate risk of exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19. However, some people are worried about the disease. Fear and anxiety can lead to social stigma towards Chinese or other Asian Americans. Stigma and discrimination can occur when people associate an infectious disease, such as COVID-19, with a population or nationality, even though not everyone in that population or from that region is specifically at risk for the disease. Stigma hurts everyone by creating more fear or anger towards ordinary people instead of the disease that is causing the problem. We can fight stigma and help not hurt others by providing social support. We can communicate the facts that being Chinese or Asian American does not increase the chance of getting or spreading COVID-19.

Read more at this CDC webpage: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/guidance-businessresponse.html

Talking with Children – Tips for Caregivers, Parents and Teachers during Infectious Disease Outbreaks, see https://store.samhsa.gov/system/files/sma14-4886.pdf
(Spanish version at https://store.samhsa.gov/system/files/sma14-4886spanish.pdf )

Additional Coronavirus/COVID-19 Resources – COVID-19: Preparing for Widespread Illness in your School Community, A Legal Guide for School Leaders (National School Board Association, Feb., 2020), https://www.nsba.org/-/media/Files/nsba-school-safety-addendum-coronavirus-3-2-20.pdf?la=en&hash=FD7C3341D48974926175AC252A7D3FDD822027A8

CDC Coronavirus Situation Summary
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/summary.html

CDC Coronavirus Cases in the U.S.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html

CDC Coronavirus FAQs
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html

CDC What to Do If You Are Sick with Coronavirus Disease https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/steps-when-sick.html