Multiple school districts close due to COVID-19

By: Caroline Sutton

FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — Dickson, Williamson County and two private schools in Middle Tennessee have closed due to COVID-19, the new coronavirus, exposure.

Battle Ground Academy canceled classes on Tuesday after a senior was tested for COVID-19.

The school said the student has not been to school since last Thursday and he began showing symptoms on Sunday night.

School faculty will meet on Tuesday to work on online plans should the school not reopen on Wednesday.

BGA has not yet said if the student tested positive.

Lighthouse Christian Academy said one of the students was exposed to the virus by an infected family member. The school said the student's exposure did not happen while at school and did not overlap any school time.

Lighthouse Christian Academy's school and preschool will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday for cleaning.

Williamson County Schools officials said they would be closed Tues. and Wed.Dickson County School officials released a statement saying, some of their parents and students are being tested.

"It has come to our attention that we have a family member of some of our students who are being self-quarantined and tests are being performed for the Corona Virus / COVID 19.

As a precautionary measure, we are going to close schools for the remainder of this week. We will have our custodial services conduct a deep cleaning the next few days while we are out of school. The Schools' Daycare programs will also be closed. All school-related activities will be suspended until further notice. We continue to remain in direct contact with local and state health officials, other emergency management services, and our governmental officials.

Please be assured there is no cause for panic; however, we are taking these as precautionary steps. We would encourage you to visit our website and other healthcare providers' websites as to universal precautionary measures for handling these type situations.

We will provide additional information to you as it becomes available. Thank you again for your support of Dickson County Schools."

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What is COVID-19 (a.k.a. the new coronavirus?)

According to the World Health Organization, coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. Examples include the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV)and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans. COVID-19 stands for "Coronavirus disease 2019," which is when this strain of the coronavirus was discovered.

What are the symptoms?

The CDC says patients confirmed to have the 2019-nCoV reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with:

Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Or at least two of the following symptoms:

Fever
Chills
Repeated shaking with chills
Muscle pain
Headache
Sore throat
New loss of taste or smell

At this time, the CDC believes symptoms could appear as soon as two days after exposure, or as long as 14 days.

Prevention

The CDC is recommending "common sense" measures such as:

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.