Peninsula schools watching for virus, but so far no closings; sports still on. City of Gig Harbor prepares.
The Peninsula School District has contingency plans in case the coronavirus outbreak should reach here, officials said Monday, but schools continue to operate normally.
There are no immediate plans to close schools or cancel sporting events.
“We are monitoring the coronavirus outbreak closely and understand the concerns this brings to our students, staff, and community,” said district spokesperson Aimee Gordon.
Meanwhile, the City of Gig Harbor is preparing a response plan in coordination with the school district, St. Anthony Hospital, Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One, and the Piece County Emergency Management department, according to the city web site.
“The health and safety of our community is of paramount importance. We are monitoring the situation closely and will respond accordingly to limit the impacts of an outbreak,” said Mayor Kit Kuhn in a statement on the city web site. “We urge all of our citizens to follow personal hygiene practices to prevent the spread of this virus.”
Two schools in Puyallup were closed for cleaning Monday because a student’s relative was exposed to somebody diagnosed with COVID-19.
Ferrucci Junior High and Wildwood Park Elementary School shut down for the day “in order to thoroughly clean them,” according to the Puyallup School District.
In a notice posted on the Peninsula web site, the district said it is consulting closely with both the state Department of Health and the Pierce County Health Department “so we can respond quickly to any changes in their recommendations, guidance and direction.”
“Before closing schools or canceling events we will work closely with local and state health agencies,” Gordon told The Gateway. “Any decision to close our schools will be done in consultation with their guidance and recommendations.”
The district said a staff member has direct contact with the Department of Health.
The advisory continued: “If a case of COVID-19 is found in the Peninsula School District, we will follow direction from public health officials, which may include closing schools and canceling activities and sporting events.
“It is likely, at a minimum, that the Peninsula School District would close any affected school for several days for disinfection. An affected school would only be open after we are satisfied that it is safe for students and staff to return to school.”
The district said it encourages parents to have plans in place, including alternative child-care arrangements in case of school closures.
Gig Harbor administrator Larson said information on the city’s web site would closely reflect the state and county health information available.
“The City is in contact with local public safety organizations, including St. Anthony Hospital, the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management, and Pierce County Fire District 5, as well as the Peninsula School District, to ensure a coordinated response if there are signs of any infection in our area,” the city web site said.
“Internally, the City is looking at ways to limit exposure to our personnel and facilities in order to maintain required service levels,” the statement continued. “We have a continuity of operations plan in place and are confident in our ability to deliver continued essential services should the situation change.”
Five deaths in state
In Washington, five patients have died of coronavirus and health officials confirmed another 14 cases.
Other schools closed Monday include Kentwood High School and Covington Elementary School in Kent.
Officials said a parent with children at both schools came down with flu-like symptoms last week and even though the students haven’t exhibited symptoms, they’re closing the schools for cleaning out of an abundance of caution.
Puyallup school officials said they made the decision to close Ferrucci and Wildwood Park Monday before consulting the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department out of an abundance of caution.
Both schools will resume classes Tuesday.
The Peninsula School District statement is available online at https://www.psd401.net/departments/student-services/health-services/coronavirus-information
The City of Gig Harbor web site is www.cityofgigharbor.net
Persons who have any questions regarding specific symptoms should contact their primary care provider or the Washington State Department of Health’s call center at 800-525-0127 and press #.
This story was originally published March 2, 2020 at 4:49 PM.