San Marcos CISD cancels extracurricular events

San Marcos Consolidated ISD canceled all of its Thursday and Friday extracurricular events, excluding University Interscholastic League sporting events. 

SMCISD’s Thursday cancellations included a middle school track meet, band event and a Census event. Andrew Fernandez, SMCISD executive director of communications and community relations, said the district is canceling the events out of an abundance of caution. He added that there are no cases of coronavirus in the district. 

“We are continuing to monitor the virus,” Fernandez said, adding that the district wanted to take caution following President Trump’s remarks in his Oval Office speech on Wednesday. 

UIL athletic events will only be open to participants, their families and essential staff. 

Fernandez said the district will continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic. In a letter to parents, SMCISD Superintendent Michael Cardona said the district has a response plan in place in the event of a confirmed case of COVID-19. 

“The district is prepared for numerous scenarios and we realize each case will have unique circumstances,” Cardona wrote. “For example, we must be ready if there is a confirmed case not only at one of our schools but at any district facility. Then, we need to determine who is involved in the case. It could be an employee, student, delivery driver or visitor. There are many factors to consider before deciding what actions to take.” 

Cardona said the district may ask students or staff who possibly come into contact with a confirmed case to go home immediately and self-quarantine for 14 days per the Hays County Health Department. 

The district’s custodial teams are prepared with electrostatic decontamination applicators and will work around the clock if needed, Cardona said. Additionally, plans for alternative instruction will be issued in the event of a closure. 

“We are committed to keeping you advised of the latest information and will continue to work with family to stay safe and healthy,” Cardona said. 

What is COVID-19: 

COVID-19 is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that’s a close cousin to SARS and MERS viruses that have caused previous outbreaks. The disease is caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2 by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. COVID-19 may take up to 2-14 days after exposure to appear. The disease can cause a wide range of respiratory illnesses, including fever, cough and shortness of breath, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The disease originated in Wuhan, China in late 2019. 

The World Health Organization reported that there have been 124,847 confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide as of Thursday. The CDC states that there are 938 confirmed cases in the United States, including 15 reported cases in Texas. 

Expressing increasing alarm about mounting infections, the World Health Organization declared Wednesday that the global coronavirus crisis is now a pandemic.

Tips to prevent the spread of COVID-19

Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds several times a day, including between your fingers and underneath your nails. Handwashing is considered the best way to remove germs and dirt, and hand sanitizers should be used only when handwashing is not available. The hand sanitizers should be at least 60 percent alcohol to be effective. 

• Avoid handshaking and high-fives

• Avoid touching your face – especially your eyes nose, and mouth

• Stay home when you feel sick

• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue then put the tissue in the trash, or use the crook of your elbow if a tissue isn’t available

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household disinfectant cleaning spray or wipe. Clean cell and desk phones, computer keyboards, door handles, and work surfaces often.

• Face masks are not considered an effective way to prevent someone from catching a virus unless you have close, frequent contact with a sick person; however, they are an option for sick people to use to keep from spreading the virus.

• Avoid travel to areas that have been designated high-risk areas because of multiple verified cases of coronavirus.