Districts Coordinating With Public Health on Coronavirus

All 13 public school districts in Sacramento County, along with the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE), are teaming up with Sacramento County Public Health (SCPH) to provide students, families, and the public with the most accurate information available regarding the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in Sacramento County.

“We strongly urge all families in our school community to rely on their local school leaders and Sacramento County Public Health for accurate and timely information,” said Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools David W. Gordon. “We want to ensure that only accurate information about COVID-19—particularly information about schools—circulates in our county.”

SCOE and local districts will communicate regularly with their school communities and pass along reliable COVID-19-related medical information provided by SCPH and/or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“We believe this joint guidance effort is the best way to get credible information out to parents and the entire Sacramento County community,” said Sacramento County Public Health Officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye. “Our goal is to stop rumors before they start and prevent the spread of disinformation.”

Since news of coronavirus cases began circulating, SCPH has been providing letters to families and updating guidance as quickly as new information is received. Districts will regularly forward these letters to their school communities.

Sacramento County Public Health, in coordination with all Sacramento County school districts, jointly released these guidelines:

• Students and school staff should go about their daily lives and practice normal cold and flu season precautions:
• Stay home if you have a fever or are feeling sick.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when sneezing or coughing.
• Wash your hands with soap and water often. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Routinely clean frequently touched surfaces.
• The flu vaccine will not protect against COVID-19, but it is highly recommended to help keep you healthy.
• If students or staff come in contact with an infected person they should stay home, contact their medical provider, and call Sacramento County Public Health at (916) 875-5748. If someone must quarantine or isolate, they will be directed to do so by Sacramento County Public Health.
• Some students may come to school wearing face masks. The CDC does not recommend the use of face masks among healthy individuals; however, it is important that anyone wearing a mask is treated with respect and not fear. N95 respirator masks are not designed for and should not be worn by children.
• The Health Department makes no recommendations at this time for the cancellation of public events.
• If an outbreak occurs, and school closures are recommended or ordered, decisions will be made following discussion between the school district involved and SCPH.

Additional Resources

For the latest information, families are encouraged to visit their local school district’s website, the SCPH COVID-19 webpage, or the CDC COVID-19 webpage. Additional reference information about COVID-19 (www.scoe.net/covid19) is available on a dedicated page published on the SCOE website.