Columbia Falls students not canceling travel plans due to coronavirus

Columbia Falls High School has no plans to restrict student travel at this point due to the coronavirus.

The choir is going to Spokane, Washington this month and the band has a trip scheduled to go to New York, superintendent Steve Bradshaw said.

Last year the band had to cancel the trip to Spokane because of bad weather.

“We really don’t want to do it again,” he said Monday.

Bradshaw noted it’s a bit of a balancing act. The threat of the virus to young people is very low, but there is some concern about spreading it as well, particularly to older family members that are more susceptible to the disease.

Coronavirus mortality rate overall is about 2 to 3 percent and typically has the worst impact on the old and infirm. In Washington state, there have been higher mortality rates, but no confirmed cases in Spokane County, according to a story in the Spokesman Review on Monday.

The problem with the virus is there’s no vaccine, so the best way to avoid getting it, is to avoid contact with people who have it.

The Review story said that as of Sunday, the virus has resulted in the deaths of 19 Washingtonians, most of them residents of an elderly care center in Kirkland. The state as of presstime had 136 cases of the disease. In New York, by contrast, there were 142 known cases, and no deaths, according to the Washington Post. In fact, outside of Washington state, there have been only three other deaths in the U.S.

As of presstime, there were no known cases of the virus in the Flathead Valley.

Bradshaw said the school, as a precaution, is sending home any children who have a fever. It’s also being extra vigilant about cleaning, particularly with the school’s Chromebooks and other electronic devices, which get passed from child to child during the course of the day.

Nationwide the virus, however, has stymied travel because of fears of spreading the disease. Coupled with a price war over crude oil, the stock market plummeted Monday. The Dow Jones dropped 2,000 points and trading was suspended for awhile.

Bradshaw said that after talking to county health officials last week, the school has no plans at this time to close, unless they absolutely have to.

Closing schools disrupts families, because they have to stay home from work to watch children, sick or not, Bradshaw noted.

Glacier Medical Associates, a local medical clinic, offers the following advice for prevention of the disease, as recommended by the Center for Disease Control:

1) Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, after using the restroom, before eating, after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. Alternatively, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

2) Avoid close contact (6 feet) with people who are sick with fever and cough.

3) Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

4) Stay home when you are sick. Call your healthcare provider if you need guidance on when to be seen and at which location (ER or clinic).

5) Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue or the crook of your elbow, then throw the tissue in the trash.

6) Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

7) Follow the CDC’s recommendations for using a facemask (wear a mask if you have symptoms of fever, cough, sneezing or runny nose) to help prevent spread to others. The CDC does not recommend that healthy people wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases with the exception of healthcare workers or those in close contact caring for someone with illness.