School Closures, Cleanings Over Ebola Concerns
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FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Several North Texas school districts are responding to Ebola concerns, after learning students or their parents have had contact with one of the nurses diagnosed with the disease.
Royse City ISD has decided to close Davis Elementary and Ruth Cherry Intermediate Friday for an extensive cleaning. Those two schools are attended by the children of a Texas Presbyterian health care worker. The parent and children have been self-isolating since October 14, a day after Pham was diagnosed with Ebola. The district’s other schools will remain open.
Complete Coverage Of Ebola In North Texas
Royce City ISD sent a letter home to parents saying the parent is “low-risk” and showing no symptoms, but the voluntary isolation is being done out of an abundance of caution. The district says the cleaning is also being done to “alleviate any remaining concerns of parents, staff, students and the community.”
In Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD, a Lake Pointe Elementary student’s family member reported being on Frontier Flight 1143 with Amber Vinson, the second nurse diagnosed with Ebola. The district says the family will be isolated for 21 days, at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth, where the family member is based and stationed. The military has suggested this course of action as a precautionary measure. The district says in its letter to parents, “Since no member of the family has presented any symptoms, there is nothing to indicate that the disease has or will be spread.”
In Garland, three parents of four district students reported being on the flight with Vinson from Cleveland. The district says the parents are “low-risk” and not in quarantine. Their children are being allowed to attend school.
Garland ISD has cleaned the restrooms, handles, and common areas out of an abundance of caution. Two schools, North Garland High School and Schrade Middle School, will undergo deep cleanings Thursday night and again on Saturday.
The district also sent a letter to parents, assuring them there is no-risk, no quarantine is necessary and no students are being withheld from school.
On Thursday, three schools in the Belton Independent School District, located south of Waco, shut down because two students were on a flight with Ebola patient Amber Vinson. According to superintendent Susan Kincannon, closing the schools will let the district and officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention properly evaluate the situation.
CBS 11 contact several North Texas districts asking about any known connection to either of the Ebola patients. You will find their response below.
Allen
We have not heard of any connection to the flight. We have not sent out any communications regarding Ebola at this time but head nurse is in close contact with County Health Dept.
Arlington
We’re not aware of anyone who may have been on the flight with the nurse.
All campus employees receive blood borne pathogen training annually, so they know how to protect themselves and others from exposure to bodily fluids. We send any student with a fever home, and fever is one of the earliest symptoms of Ebola and many other communicable diseases. We are working closely with the City of Arlington’s Public Health Authority and the Arlington Fire Department’s Office of Emergency Management. They are in close contact with Dallas County Health and Human Services, Tarrant County Public Health and the CDC and will let us know if anything changes or if we need to take any additional actions.
Birdville
Birdville ISD is not.
Carroll
Not aware of any connection to the Frontier Airlines flight and Carroll ISD.
Dallas
We have not identified anyone related to that flight. We continue to proactively communicate through our various channels, including consistent web and social media updates, videos and parent letters, and face-to-face communication.
Fort Worth
We have none of which we are aware. We have re-emphasized infectious disease procedures with our nurses. We have placed educational information on the front page of our web site.
Grand Prairie
No connection to the flight. We’ve set up a page on our website for information: http://www.gpisd.org/healthupdates
Irving
We have not been notified of having any connections to the Frontier flight – or any of the Ebola patients.
Northwest
We are not aware of any students or families who have been in contact with the nurse.
Richardson
Not that we’re aware of right now. Typically, the County Health Dept would make us aware if their contact investigation identified any RISD students or staff determined to be at risk.
Terrell
At this time we do not have any concerns about any of our students having a connection to someone who may have been exposed. Our nurses are closely monitoring the situation and making sure that our students are healthy. They are also communicating with any parents who have questions. As always, our janitors are throughly cleaning and sanitizing our campuses and classrooms.
Weatherford
No connection to the flight.
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