Covid-19

BCS leadership is constantly monitoring recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and our local Department of Public Health Agency, the South Health District.  

 

At this time, public health has two recommendations for those concerned with COVID-19:

 

Families are encouraged to frequently check the CDC website or the South Health District website for the most up to date, reliable information.

 

• Keep children who are sick at home.  Do not send them to school.
• If a child has any of the following symptoms: fever, headache, sore throat, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, new cough, runny nose, muscle pain or aches, fatigue, new loss of taste or smell, abdominal pain, loss of or poor appetite, vomiting and/or diarrhea, they should go home, stay away from other people, and the family member should call the child’s provider.
• If your child or someone in the home has come into close contact with someone positive with COVID-19, please keep the child at home and call the school for guidance. 
• If someone in the home tests positive for COVID-19, do not send the child to school even if the child is symptom-free.  Please call the school for instructions on when the student can return.
• If your child tests positive for COVID-19, please let the school know immediately.
• If someone in the child’s household has symptoms of COVID-19, please keep the child at home and call the school for guidance. 
• Teach your children to wash their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds.  Be sure to set a good example by doing this yourself.  Singing the happy birthday song two times is a good way to teach them how long they should wash their hands.
• If soap and water aren't readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
• Teach your children to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues or by coughing into the inside of the elbow.  Be sure to set a good example by doing this yourself.  Even if coughing into the elbow or tissue, it should be followed by good handwashing.
• Aerosolized breathing treatments will not be given at school during this time per CDC recommendations. Inhalers can be used for those students with asthma.  Inhalers can be brought and kept in the nurse's clinic or with the student with a doctor’s note.
• If the school nurse calls, please have a plan in place to pick up your child in a timely fashion.

We ask that you observe these best practices to avoid infecting other children.

Berrien County Schools encourages parents, students, and staff to be aware of the symptoms of illness and not to report to school if they experience fever, along with any of the following symptoms:

 

 

If you still have questions, feel free to reach out to your local health care provider or our local health department(s).  See the attachment below for contact information for Georgia Public Health Districts and Departments.