More cases are likely to be identified according to Public Health officials speaking at a Friday night briefing.
Dear Everett Public School Families –
We wanted to be the first to let you know the Snohomish Health District notified us tonight we have a case of Coronavirus, or COVID-19, involving one of our schools. A Jackson High School student has tested presumptive positive for the virus, and we have been in ongoing communication with the Department of Health and the Snohomish Health District to determine how we should proceed.
The student was not in school most of this week, but was on campus briefly this morning. The few students they were in contact with have been notified and will remain home for 14 days with symptom monitoring by the Snohomish Health District. The student has a sibling at Gateway Middle School who is not symptomatic, but out of an abundance of caution, is being tested and will remain out of school in quarantine until tests results are back.
We are taking this very seriously and as a precautionary measure we have decided to close Jackson High School on Monday, March 2, so we have three days for deep disinfecting.
We will continue to follow the authorities’ recommendations on how to proceed and keep all of our student’s healthy. This is a rapidly-changing situation, but please be assured the health and safety of our students are of utmost importance and we will keep everyone informed.
Watch our web page: everettsd.org, and our social media sites for updates. And remember, the best protection against any virus is good hand hygiene.
How can you prevent the spread of COVID-19?
- Prevention starts with practicing good personal health habits: Wash your hands often with soap and water,
- Stay home when you’re sick,
- Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue,
- Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects.
- Getting plenty of rest, drinking fluids, eating healthy foods, and managing your stress can help you prevent getting COVID-19 and recover from it if you do.
The Washington State Department of Health has established a call center to address questions from the public. If you have questions about what is happening in Washington state please call 1-800-525-0127 and press #.
More information on COVID-19 is available from:
- Public Health Seattle-King County
- Snohomish Health District
- Washington State Department of Health
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
In all schools, custodians have been instructed to make cleaning touchpoints a high priority, verify each classroom is equipped with a cleaner for wiping down surfaces such as desks and tables and stock additional gloves and cleaning products. Hand sanitizing stations have been ordered for each of our school cafeterias and other frequently visited locations such as school offices.
Thank you
Everett Public Schools
February 28, 2020
Everett