Coronavirus School Closures Update

Photo by PoPville flickr user John Sonderman

From a press release:

“On Saturday, March 8, the DC Department of Health (DC Health) was notified by the State of Maryland of an individual who stayed in Washington, DC before presenting himself to a Maryland hospital and then tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) by the State of Maryland. DC Health is conducting contact tracing of the individual, known as Patient 2 because he is the second confirmed DC case, and individuals of close contact. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are classifying this as a DC case because the individual stayed in DC for one night when he arrived in the country from Nigeria.

Based on DC Health’s investigation, three individuals who stayed in the same residence as Patient 2 were tested for COVID-19 today, and all three tests yielded negative results. One of these close contacts who tested negative is a staff member at School Without Walls High School. She has and continues to be asymptomatic. To give the school’s administration adequate time to communicate with staff and families, School Without Walls will be closed on Monday, March 9. Out of an abundance of caution, the school will also receive a deep cleaning before students and staff return.”

From District of Columbia International School (DCI):

“Dear DCI Community,

Late this Sunday evening we learned one of our staff members may have had exposure to the COVID-19 virus.

Out of an abundance caution we will be closing school tomorrow to deep clean all surfaces and to allow for the school community to be adequately advised. Per the CDC, cleaning surfaces followed by disinfection is a best practice measure for prevention of COVID-19 and other viral respiratory illnesses. We will be working closely with DC Health and other District agencies and will share additional updates as they become available.”

From a reader: “And now Mundo Verde (P Street) is closed for “health precautions””