With the health, safety and well-being of our school community as our priority, Cincinnati Public Schools' administration is paying close attention to the developments of the coronavirus (COVID-19), a respiratory disease.
To date, there are no confirmed cases in the school district, the region or in the State of Ohio.
The Cincinnati Health Department and the Ohio Department of Health are providing district officials with information about the virus and conferring with CPS administrators several times a week.
There is currently no vaccine to protect against COVID-19. The health department continues to recommend that students and staff take everyday precautions to prevent the spread of many respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19 and influenza:
- Washing hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth (where viruses can enter the body)
- Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow
- Stay home if you have a fever or are feeling unwell
- Clean and disinfect surfaces such as desks, chairs, door handles, phones, keyboards
- Avoiding contact with persons who are sick
Right now, CPS is focused on preventative measures and contingency planning. The facilities staff is increasing the cleaning of commonly touched surfaces throughout the day and extra sanitizing will occur as needed.
If it becomes clear that additional measures need to be taken, the district will communicate directly with staff, students and families.
Additional information from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is available at the links below:
- CDC Information about Coronavirus — Coronavirus and Infection Control (available in Spanish and English)
- CDC Travel Fact Sheet Advisory — Includes Frequently Asked Question and country-specific information for international travelers
- Hand Washing Resources from the CDC — Includes classroom lessons and hand washing promotion posters and materials
- Cover Your Cough Resources
If you have further questions, contact the Cincinnati Health Department's School & Adolescent Health Office, (513) 357-2808.