What Are We Doing to help contain spread of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)?

With the news about the coronavirus continuing to unfold across the United States, we appreciate you are concerned about your own personal safety and that of your family members. We are following developments on a daily basis and monitoring what similar educational institutions and farms are doing in our area. While the State of Maine has yet to experience any positive cases, we are taking the necessary prevention measures for schools and businesses established by the Maine Center of Disease Control & Prevention.

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services recommends the following procedures to prevent the spread of COVID-19:

• Staying home when you or your rider of family member is sick. If anyone has an elevated fever, we ask that you stay home until they have a normal temperature for over 24 hours without the use of medication.
• Frequently washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing noses. Help young children do the same. If hands are visibly dirty, use soap and water to clean hands.
• If soap and water are not readily available, using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Avoiding touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Covering coughs or sneezes with a tissue, then throwing the tissue in the trash and cleaning hands with soap and water or hand sanitizer (if soap and water are not readily available).
• Getting flu shots for anyone six months and older during the flu season. (CDC)
• Getting enough sleep! Together with frequent handwashing, ample rest (7-8 hours per night) is perhaps the easiest way to maintain a strong, resilient immune system.

As we prepare to open for the spring season, we’ve taken the opportunity to do some significant cleaning, disinfecting of common surfaces and areas, and wiping down helmets, toys, and therapy equipment after each use. We continue to reevaluate the situation and plan for the coming days and weeks. Your safety and good health are our most important priorities.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to call me at (207) 985-0374, ext. 1, or email me at sarmentrout@carlisleacademymaine.com.

Warm regards,
Sarah Armentrout, Head of School

Resources for your information:

• Maine Department of Health & Human Services, Division of Disease Surveillance page (including FAQ): https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/infectious-disease/epi/airborne/coronavirus.shtml
• Maine DHHS Coronavirus FACT SHEET: https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/infectiousdisease/epi/airborne/documents/COVID-19-FS.pdf
• Maine DHHS, Preventing COVID-19 Spread in Communities: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html
• Maine DHHS Call Center: (If you have questions about what is happening in Maine or have symptoms, please call 1-800-821-5821)
• United States Center for Disease Control COVID-19 website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/summary.html

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