HAMLET — Richmond County Schools has cancelled all out-of-state and out-of-district field trips and travel by students and staff until further notice following Governor Roy Cooper declaring a state of emergency Tuesday to respond to coronavirus.
Travel by students and staff to in-state sports events will continue but will follow guidance from the North Carolina High School Athletics Association, according to a school system spokesperson.
Other school events held on campus will be up to the discretion of principals.
“We will continue to remind our school community that the best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are the same preventions [sic] that are recommended for the spread of the flu and the common cold,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “We encourage students, staff and school visitors to follow proper hand-washing and sanitation practices to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses.”
School principals are working with travel companies to get refunds for families who have already paid for field trips and travel, the school system said. Parents can contact their child’s school for more information.
For general questions about the new coronavirus strain known as COVID-19, call the North Carolina Division of Public Health’s coronavirus hotline at 866-462-3821.
Richmond County Schools was began this week instructing custodians to be more aggressive in their cleaning efforts by wiping down door handles, water fountains, and handrails multiple times a day, according to Dr. Wendy Jordan, director of Student Services. Maintenance staff will also ensure that schools have adequate soap and paper towels to account for a greater frequency of hand washing and cleaning.
Cafeteria staff will continue to disinfect tables and serving lines between classes and staff will be required to wear gloves while at the serving line. There will also be new hand-washing guidelines for cafeteria staff which include new steps such as turning off the water faucet with a paper towel instead of freshly-washed hands, according to Jordan.
Health Department Director Tommy Jarrell said Tuesday that no isolation or quarantine orders have issued in Richmond County, and no one has been tested for COVID-19, the strain of coronavirus that has spread across the globe. The number of cases in North Carolina stands at seven as of Wednesday.
Cooper’s declaring of an emergency Tuesday activates the Emergency Operations Center and allows further coordination among state resources.
On Monday, Mickey Foster, CEO of FirstHealth of the Carolinas, said the hospital system is “ready to go” in the event of the virus spreading to the region. FirstHealth has locations in Rockingham, Pinehurst, Raeford and Troy.
Foster said FirstHealth has an “overabundance” of supplies needed to respond to the virus. Hospital officials have had regular calls with state and local officials regarding preparation.
“I hope (an outbreak) doesn’t occur but if it does, we’re ready,” he told the Daily Journal Monday.
Foster said the hospitals do not want those who may be infected to go to the emergency room because they could potentially infect many other people. The CDC advises that anyone who believes they may have been exposed to the virus to seek medical care right away, but to call the medical facility before your arrival and inform them of your recent travel and symptoms.
The CDC also advised that those who are experiencing symptoms should inform their local health department, and those who have traveled to an outbreak-affected area and do not feel sick should monitor their symptoms for 14 days since last exposure and contact your local health department.
The Richmond County Health Department can be reached at 910-997-8300.
The CDC’s official definition of exposure to COVID-19 is “either at least 10 minutes spent within 6 feet of the patient with confirmed COVID-19 (e.g., in a waiting room) or having spent time in the same airspace (e.g., the same examination room) for 0–2 hours after the confirmed COVID-19 patient.”
