03/05/2020
Dear Orangeburg County School District Family,
We know that many of you are concerned about what you have read or seen on social media and in the news about the 2019 Novel Coronavirus known as COVID-19, often referred to as “Coronavirus,” in the United States.
As we write this, the state of South Carolina has no confirmed cases of COVID-19. Our district, however, continues to monitor the situation and work closely with the Centers for Disease Control and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. We will stay informed and implement any recommendations or guidelines they develop.
While a new type of illness can be scary, we can protect our students, staff, and the broader community by using common sense, everyday actions that protect people from any type of respiratory virus.
Orangeburg County School District follows and will continue to follow the CDC’s recommendations for preventing respiratory illnesses. These include reminding staff and students to:
• wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• avoid touching their eyes, nose, or mouth.
• stay home when sick.
• cough or sneeze into their elbow or use a tissue and put it in the trash immediately.
• clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• avoid contact with sick people.
• get a flu shot.
Remember, too, that all our schools are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected daily as part of our routine custodial services.
If a student or staff member begins showing flu-like or other respiratory symptoms at school, our school nurses follow standard medical precautions and procedures.
We remind parents/guardians to keep your children at home when they run any fever higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit before you give them Tylenol, Motrin, or other appropriate fever-reducing medication. Once your child’s fever breaks and your child no longer has a fever (without Tylenol or another product in his/her system), please keep your child home for another 24 hours. We also remind staff that these guidelines apply to you, too.
Please consult your physician if you have any concerns.
We are in the process of placing more information and links to other resources about COVID-19 on our website. We will place a notice with a link to that page there.
Thank you for helping us keep our students and staff healthy.
Dr. Darrell Johnson, Interim Superintendent