Training To Deal With Coronavirus In Schools

Training To Deal With Coronavirus In Schools

Those came within the past week.

With only three days until the first day of school for some districts -- the alabama department of public health held a last-minute training session.

The training explained in greater detail how to respond to a coronavirus outbreak--and others suggestions on how to reduce the spread in schools.

Waay 31's casey albritton is live at the morgan county school board of education with what local school districts say they learned.

Casey?

Here in morgan county, school leaders say the training went over a lot of information they already knew and planned for-- but a few last-minute adjustments are needed, including creating assigned seating charts and isolation areas for students who show symptoms of coronavirus.

Brenda caudle/ nurse "i wouldn't say everyone is 100 percent ready right now, but we are in the process."

Morgan county schools head nurse, brenda caudle, says there was one main focus in the state-wide training on tuesday.

Brenda caudle/ nurse "zero-ing in on when someone tests positive and when someone gets sick and that kind of thing."

Caudle as well as limestone and jackson county schools superintendents say they started planning months ago.

Jackson co superintendent/ kevin dukes "i think we will be as ready as we can be, i absolutely do."

The alabama department of public health stated in the training- if a student or staff member shows signs of coronavirus, they will be isolated in a designated room and then sent home to get tested.

If they test positive, a school nurse will help identify who came in contact with that person... and then they will be isolated and sent home to quarantine for 14 days.

But specifically leaves out instruction on when to close a classroom or school.

The more than 80 page document called that a local decision.

The superintendents told me today's meeting showed there's still more to be done.

Randy shearouse/ limestone county schools superintendent "we're currently looking at adding additional health care individuals ."

Jackson co superintendent/ kevin dukes "we are looking at hiring a roving nurse."

Superintendent of limestone county schools, randy shearouse, says teachers still need to create seating charts before friday.

Randy shearouse/ limestone county schools superintendent "they can certainly determine how much distancing they can have and we will know how many students they are going to have in their classes."

Morgan county schools is still working on some isolation rooms--but says that will be done in the next few days.

Brenda caudle/ nurse "are we going to be able to say 100 percent that there will never be a case of covid, that's not possible, but can we say that we've done everything we can to decrease the spread?"

Caudle tells me nurses in morgan county will review the topics from the training tomorrow live in decatur, casey albritton, waay 31 news.

In limestone county -- some parents who decided to go with the virtual learning option for their children are upset and confused