Tupelo school leaders get advice on going back to school in the fall.

An expert on infectious diseases gave Tupelo school leaders some advice concerning the coronavirus.

Infectious diseases gave tupelo school leaders some advice concerning the coronavirus.

And w-t-v-a's chelsea brown reports that advice came at a time when those leaders plan to get students back in the classroom real soon.

The tupelo school board held a work session today to talk about the future of the school district and dealing with the coronavirus.

Dr. mindy prewitt with the north mississippi medical center spoke with the board about her observations as a healthcare provider.

Sot- dr. mindy prewitt, nmmc, on the phone "we still have a very vulnerable population as we approach going back to school that is something to keep in the back of our mind" dr. mindy prewitt works with north mississippi medical center.

She says there are a lot of things we still don't know about the virus; what we do know is coronavirus is spread through respiratory droplets.

"6ft is where they have figured out that those droplets are more likely to land."

One concern for dr. prewitt has is students bringing it home to their families.

Her recommendation s are to physically distance the students, and to keep contact with other people and objects low.

"physically distance our self with 6 ft and we would wear our masks and have shorter contact with people" she said statistically, healthy children of average weight will be okay if they get the coronavirus.

"caregiver and teachers that have chronic illness, even some of our students i would worry about that meet the obesity criteria" she also worries about younger children and how they will do.

"how compliant can they be wearing their masks, how compliant can they be washing their hands."

Chelsea statistics with the coronavirus change everyday as healthcare professionals get new information.

Dr mindy prewitt told the board to stick with what facts are known and use common sense when making plans to return classes to campus this fall.

In tupelo, chelsea brown, wtva 9 news