Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update – February 27, 2020

Aloha Saint Mark `Ohana,

With the vast news coverage surrounding the COVID-19 virus, I am taking a few moments to reach out and reassure our families that the health, safety and overall well-being of your children has been and continues to be our greatest priority. This is a very dynamic situation in terms of future direction, but we are receiving regular updates from the Hawaii Department of Health working in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and are monitoring them closely.

The CDC is currently developing guidance recommendations for childcare programs, K–12 schools, and colleges/universities to help plan and prepare for COVID-19.  Until these documents are available, we are advising our employees and families to practice the following every day preventative actions that help avoid the spread of flu and other illness:

• Stay home when sick and do not return to school until fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications
• Cover cough and sneezes with a tissue (or sleeve when tissues are not available) rather than hands
• Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. (Use at least a 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.)
• Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects
• Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick

For the latest information on COVID-19, please refer to the following resources:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• U.S. State Department – Travel Advisories
• State of Hawai`i Department of Health

In the unlikely event that a member of our school community contracts COVID-19, Saint Mark will work with State of Hawai`i Department of Health to enact an appropriate response.  In the meantime,  please rest assured that the faculty and staff of Saint Mark will remain vigilant in its monitoring of this unfortunate situation, and we humbly ask you to please do the same.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact the school office should you have any questions.

Sincerely,

David Gaudi
Head of School