Obion County School System Director of Schools weighs in on system's plan to address virus, impact

(Editor's Note: the following was received by The Current this morning from Tim Watkins, Director of Schools, Obion County School System)

Obion County School System is closely monitoring the coronavirus situation and is making the necessary preparations in case the COVID-19 becomes more prevalent in our community. For now, there have been no indications of a coronavirus outbreak, but that could change as time passes.

We all play a role in reducing the likelihood of a coronavirus outbreak in our school district and community. We encourage everyone to practice good habits:

• Wash your hands regularly, especially after using the restroom and before preparing or consuming food. Wash for 20 seconds, using soap and hot water. Be sure to also wash your fingertips.

• Avoid coughing or sneezing into your hands or in the air. Always try to cough or sneeze into a tissue,

and then throw the tissue away. If you don't have a tissue, cough/sneeze into your arm.

• As much as you can, avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose.

• If children are feeling sick, please keep them home from school. Allow them some time to feel better so that they do not risk infecting others.

The system will continue to communicate with families and the community in the days and weeks to come. "It is our intention to keep schools open and operating on a normal basis. However, it is possible that we may need to cancel classes if it appears the coronavirus has affected our community in a significant way," explains Tim Watkins, Director of Schools. "As always, the safety of our students, staff and families remains our top priority. We will act with an abundance of caution to protect everyone's health and well-being. We have found that the most effective way to communicate this information is through our local media outlets, letters home to parents, staff emails, text alerts, website information, and PA announcements at school."