NBC 7’s Rory Devine spoke to a school nurse about precautions being taken at local schools.
There are zero cases of COVID-19 in San Diego County, and schools want to keep it that way. The San Diego Office of Education is taking the lead in guiding school districts through the situation, with a focus on prevention.
Corinne McCarthy is the program specialist for school nurses, which makes her the go-to person when schools have health questions. The questions McCarthy fields change every day based on recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and county public health officials.
This week, the questions have been more about traveling, she said.
“Families are traveling, and they want to know what to do when these students come back into the schools,” said McCarthy. “And spring break is coming, so there’s been a lot of questions about that.”
The only mandated quarantine is for travel in China but that could change as the CDC makes recommendations, McCarthy said. The County Office of Education is monitoring what the CDC and public health officials say, and is doing everything it can to prevent the spread and prepare.
"We want to take this time, where we have the time with no cases, and prepare," McCarthy said.
If you ever cough or sneeze, we want you to do it into a paper towel or kleenex...throw it away, and wash your hands.
Alicia Began, Nurse with Chula Vista Elementary School District
Local
At Rice Elementary School in the Chula Vista Elementary School District, students were given the latest information on how to cough and sneeze.
Rather than coughing or sneezing into your elbow, the preferred way is to cough or sneeze into a tissue, throw away the tissue and wash your hands, said Alicia Began, a nurse in the district said.
"The CDC has said the virus can live on a surface for up to a week, so therefore you don't want someone touching your shirt when you sneeze or cough," Began.
