As coronavirus concerns grow, here’s what Whatcom schools, colleges plan
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Schools should stay open and large public events should continue for now, the Whatcom County Health Department said amid growing concerns about the spread of the new coronavirus in Washington state.
As of Tuesday morning, March 3, there have been no confirmed cases in Whatcom County of the illness also known as COVID-19.
In Washington state, there were 27 confirmed cases and nine deaths — all of them in King and Snohomish counties.
“We understand that people are concerned about the spread of COVID-19 in our region, and it’s likely that we will see more cases of COVID-19 in the days and weeks to come,” said Dr. Greg Stern, Whatcom County Health Officer, in a statement.
But the department said it isn’t recommending what it calls “other community-based strategies for infection control, such as school closures or canceling large public gatherings or events.”
The health department is the lead agency in monitoring and responding to the respiratory illness in Whatcom County.
No schools in Whatcom County, including colleges and universities, have announced that they’re going to close. A petition has been launched on Change.org to get WWU to close, although it doesn’t have much traction.
“There are currently no plans to cancel classes or close the university due to the fact that no members of the WWU community have been diagnosed, and there are no cases reported in Whatcom County,” university spokesman Paul Cocke said to The Bellingham Herald in an email.
He said the university was working closely with the Whatcom County Department of Health and was monitoring updates and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the state Department of Health.
That was the same message from Bellingham Technical College and Whatcom Community College officials, as well as Bellingham Public Schools.
Bellingham Public Schools will “communicate with our families if there are any changes that may affect our school operations,” said Dana Smith, the school district’s spokeswoman, to The Bellingham Herald.
Cocke provided details of WWU’s preparation.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we are making the same types of preparation that we would for any other potentially disruptive situation, such as a natural disaster,” he told The Herald.
“This includes activating our incident command structure and working with campus leadership and regional public health partners to help departments take steps that can minimize disruptions to student learning, such as assessing readiness to conduct class activities online, should that be required, and ensuring students and employees who are ill can be properly supported so they can stay home and recover,” Cocke said.
What you can do
Instead of closing schools and canceling big public gatherings — one way to control the spread of infection — Whatcom County public health officials continue to remind people to take the same steps they would normally take to protect themselves during flu season.
“We are urging community members to practice personal prevention steps such as washing hands frequently and staying home when sick. These actions help to not only keep individuals healthy but are also important to help slow the spread of disease through our community,” Stern said.
You also can:
▪ Cough and sneeze into a bent elbow or tissue, then throw away the tissue. Avoid shaking hands or high-fiving.
▪ Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
▪ Frequently clean and disinfect used objects and surfaces, including common areas at work.
If you’re sick
Stay home, if you have mild symptoms, Whatcom public health officials said.
If you’re really sick or at high risk for severe illness, stay home and call your health care provider.
If you have questions, call the Washington State Department of Health’s call center at 1-800-525-0127 and press the pound sign.
The call center is fielding questions about what is happening in the state, how the virus spreads, and what to do if you have symptoms.
But the hotline is getting a lot of calls and may be temporarily unavailable at times, the state Department of Health said.
What about masks?
If you’re healthy, you don’t need to wear a mask to protect yourself against COVID-19, public health officials here and elsewhere are continuing to say.
If you are sick with a respiratory illness, wear a mask when you’re getting medical care.
“It is important that supplies of masks and other personal protective equipment remain available for health care providers who are evaluating and treating ill people,” the Whatcom County Health Department said.
Stay informed
▪ doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/Coronavirus
▪ www.whatcomcounty.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1617
▪ cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
This story was originally published March 3, 2020 at 11:08 AM.
