BELFAST — The Regional School Unit 71 Superintendent of Schools, Mary Alice McLean, distributed the following letter to members of the RSU 71 community Monday, March 2. 

RSU 71 includes Gladys Weymouth Elementary School, Ames Elementary School, Captain Albert Stevens Elementary School, Kermit Nickerson Elementary School, Belfast Area High School, East Belfast Elementary School and Troy Howard Middle School. 

Dear RSU #71 Parents and Guardians,

There has been a lot of news of late about the importance of preparing for the coronavirus (known as COVID-19). The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that individuals and families follow everyday preventive measures below:

• Voluntary Home Isolation: Students, staff, families, and community members should stay home when sick with respiratory disease symptoms. At the present time, these symptoms are more likely due to influenza or other respiratory viruses than to the COVID-19-related virus.

• Respiratory Etiquette: Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw it in the trash can.

• Hand Hygiene: Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

• When Out and About: If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with 60%-95% alcohol.

• Environmental Health Action: Routinely clean frequently touched surfaces and objects

• Routine use of these measures by individuals and their families will increase community resilience and readiness for responding to an outbreak.

We will continue to teach and practicing handwashing in our schools. (There is more involved in doing it well than one would think!)

Below please find a link to some videos showing best practices in handwashing.

Link to Videos

Please feel free to be in touch if you have any questions.