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Ebola Risk in Schools: Prevention and Emergency Response Tips

By John Musso posted 10-20-2014 15:35

  

Last Thursday, the New York Times  and Huffington Post  reported that several schools in Texas and Ohio had closed for cleaning in response to a threat of potential exposure to Amber Vinson, the second nurse infected with the Ebola virus at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is currently tracking and reevaluating the health risk of passengers who were on Vinson’s flights between Cleveland and Dallas, causing some schools to take caution by temporarily quarantining their campuses and ensuring any potentially exposed students and staff stay at home.

While Vinson was not showing any symptoms on her flights, and CDC guidelines state that only individuals who come into direct contact with Ebola patients exhibiting symptoms are at risk of contracting the virus, it still does not diminish the general public’s anxiety about the disease. The CDC and the Department of Education (DOE) are currently working on protocols for schools so that district leaders will know how to address the Ebola virus if any threat emerges. As soon as we receive any updates and additional information, we will post it on the network, so please stay tuned.

In the meantime, please take a look at this PDF about Ebola, which includes general facts, prevention and emergency response tips, and additional resources that we have gathered for you.

Thank you.

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John D. Musso, CAE
Executive Director
ASBO International
jmusso@asbointl.org
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