KCSD, Susque-View Provide Updates in Response to Coronavirus; PSU Blue-White Game Off

LOCK HAVEN – Two community entities provided Thursday night updates in response to concern about Coronavirus.

Keystone Central School District Superintendent Jacquelyn Martin shared the district approach at the Thursday night school board meeting. She detailed information she had emailed across the district earlier in the day:

Dear KCSD Faculty, Staff, and Board Members,

“Our administrative team met today to determine next steps for our district with regards to the Coronavirus situation. We are monitoring the situation closely and are making the necessary preparations in case the COVID-19 virus becomes more prevalent in our community.”

Current efforts to prevent, or decrease, the spread of the virus include:

• Provided guidance to our staff and students regarding travel restrictions (based on CDC recommendations)
• Our nursing staff will continue to observe and monitor the health status of all students
• Nurses have been instructed to remain diligent in terms of sending students home who show signs of illness
• Custodial staff in every building will continue to ensure facilities are clean and all frequently touched surfaces are sanitized on a daily basis
• Susquehanna Transit is now disinfecting busses daily
• Cancelling/postponing all field trips from now until April 1 – other trips will be re-evaluated as more information becomes available
• We are taking additional steps to disinfect shared curricular materials
• We are taking steps to disinfect technology devices and reduce the sharing of technology devices such as laptops and chromebooks.
• Limiting the use of our facilities to outside groups
• Cancelling large group gatherings on site (250+) or school trips to events with large groups of people

Preparedness efforts are also being taken and developed daily in the event that COVID-19 is suspected or confirmed in our area. These steps include:

• We are following the Coronavirus Disease Risk Assessment and Public Health Management Recommendations
• In the event of school closures, we will schedule make up days at the end of the school year
• At this time, we are neither approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), or prepared, to provide Flexible Instruction Days (FID)
• We will consider any special allowances provided by PDE to make up missed school days
• Remote work solutions for essential staff – business office/payroll/admin
• Collaborating with the Clinton County Emergency Management team
• Monitoring information from the Governor, CDC, FEMA, PEMA, Department of Health and the Department of Education, IU10 and nearby schools

Susque-View Changes Visitation Rules

Jamie Aurand administrator at the Susque-View Home, announced that the facility will be closed to outside visitors, effective Friday:

“As has been well publicized, the most vulnerable populations for serious illness or death from the Coronavirus are the elderly and those with other health problems. Susque-View Home’s priority is always the health and safety of the residents and the staff that care for them. The primary way to prevent the residents and staff from contracting the illness is to keep it out of the building. Therefore, following the recommendations of the PA Department of Health, the CDC, and President Trump’s Administration, Susque-View Home will be discontinuing all visitation in the facility effective Friday, March 13. The situation will be reevaluated on a weekly basis until the pandemic ends.”

The sports world is taking previously unheard of precautions, per this announcement from Penn State Athletics:

Big Ten, Penn State Cancels Competition through End of Academic Year

NCAA winter and spring championships also canceled

UNIVERSITY PARK – The Big Ten Conference and Penn State Athletics announced today the cancellation of all conference and non-conference competitions through the end of the academic year, including spring sports that compete beyond the academic year. As such, Penn State Athletics teams will no longer compete for the remainder of the 2019-20 academic year.

In addition to the Big Ten’s announcement today, Penn State Athletics is suspending athletically-related activities indefinitely. This will include the cancellation of the annual Blue-White game.

Statement from Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Sandy Barbour:

“As heartbreaking as this is for our student-athletes, coaches and staff, it is clear that the decision to suspend competition and focus on this worldwide health crisis is the only responsible action. This is an unprecedented situation and is very difficult to navigate and requires us to move forward with an abundance of caution. We are fully supportive and in agreement with the decisions today by the Big Ten and NCAA as the health and welfare of our student-athletes, staff and community is paramount. We know this announcement is disappointing for our student-athletes, and our hearts ache for their lost opportunities. However, we are committed to their continuing education, health, safety and welfare and that of our community.”

Fans who already have purchased tickets to any affected competition will be receiving a communication for all of those who have purchased through Penn State ticket office or TicketMaster. Fans can also contact the Penn State Ticket Office at 1-800-NITTANY with questions.

The University has established a website that offers the latest information and guidance to the Penn State community. For more information, please go to: https://sites.psu.edu/virusinfo/.

BIG TEN STATEMENT:

The Big Ten Conference announced today that in addition to the Men’s Basketball Tournament it will be canceling all conference and non-conference competitions through the end of the academic year, including spring sports that compete beyond the academic year, and participation in all NCAA tournaments and competitions. In addition, the Conference has announced a moratorium on all on- and off-campus recruiting activities for the foreseeable future.

The Big Ten Conference will use this time to work with the appropriate medical experts and institutional leadership to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The main priority of the Big Ten Conference continues to be the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes, coaches, administrators, fans and media as we continue to monitor all developing and relevant information on the COVID-19 virus.