Montgomery County Releases School Reopening Guidelines
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Pa. (CBS) - Officials in Montgomery County released school reopening guidelines on Friday. The County Office of Public Health in collaboration with Montgomery County school superintendents developed general recommendations to help in the prevention of the spread of COVID-19 in schools as they plan to open for the 2020-21 school year.
"Since the first coronavirus cases were reported in Montgomery County, we have been on nearly weekly calls with our school superintendents providing critical information on the pandemic and working collaboratively on guidance for opening schools," County Commissioner Dr. Valerie Arkoosh said. "Our primary goal is to support a school environment that is as safe as possible for the students, faculty, and staff while providing much needed in-person education."
Download The New And Improved CBS Philly App!
Some of the recommendations include a strategy for school communication, protecting students and staff that are high risk, monitoring students and staff for symptoms and history of exposure as well as isolation or quarantine when a student, staff member becomes sick or demonstrates a history of exposure.
Guidelines will also be in place for hygiene practices for students and staff which include the manner and frequency of hand-washing and other practices.
Officials also say that all individuals in school will have to wear face coverings when indoors and outdoors when social distancing cannot be continuously maintained.
Dr. Arkoosh said in a statement, "Our primary goal is to support a school environment that is as safe as possible for the students, faculty, and staff while providing much needed in-person education."
To see all of the recommendations for the reopening of schools click here.