Arizona DHS releases guidelines to stop coronavirus spreading in schools

PHOENIX — Arizona Department of Health Services has provided childcare facilities, K-12 schools and colleges with strategies and practices to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

“The biggest thing that we really want people to do is to have a plan,” Jessica Rigler, assistant director for public health preparedness for the Arizona Department of Health Services, told KTAR News 92.3 FM.  

Rigler has advised schools to monitor student absences, encourage students and staff to stay home when sick, ensure hand sanitizers and tissues are readily available and promote hand washing.

“Also, we’re providing some guidance about routine environmental cleaning,” Rigler added.

Arizona DHS has encouraged educational facilities to disinfect surfaces and objects that are touched frequently with a “bleach-and-water solution (0.1% solution; 1:50 dilution) or disinfectant with a label that says ‘EPA approved’ for killing bacteria and viruses.”

If a school believes it may be necessary to institute a closure, Rigler advised facilities to work with their local health department in order to reach a final decision on the best course of action.

DHS’ guidelines were released one day after Arizona confirmed its second recorded case of coronavirus.

The virus has killed 11 people in the United States, including 10 in the state of Washington.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Ashley Flood contributed to this report.

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