Milam County schools closed for week to combat COVID-19

School districts across Milam County are closed this morning to assess the situation with COVID-19 in the area.

There have been no cases of COVID-19 in Milam County so far, but one case has been diagnosed in Bell County.

Cameron ISD announced last Friday that they would be closed Monday, March 16, through Friday, March 20. Rockdale, Buckholts, Milano, Gause, and Thorndale will also be closed this week.

In a statement from Cameron ISD Superintendent Kevin Sprinkles he said, “this closure also applies to all after-school care, extended day programs, field trips, extra-curricular and district-sponsored events.”

He said this was a difficult decision to make, but the safety of students, staff, and those vulnerable to this virus in our community is the district’s top priority. Cameron ISD made this decision in conjunction with other local educational entities and direction from the Milam County Health Department. CISD will continue to consult with local public health officials, monitor the situation daily and will provide timely updates to our families and staff.

“At this time, CISD intends on returning to regular schedule on Monday, March 23,” Sprinkles said. “This return date is subject to change, but any changes will be communicated in a timely manner. In the meantime, we encourage you and your family to take precautions such as frequent hand washing, cleaning and disinfecting surfaces, and avoiding touching your face, eyes, and mouth.”

Other precautions can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html

If you have concerns that you have been exposed to the virus, or if you have any symptoms, you should contact your personal health provider immediately.

“The safety and well-being of our community is our first concern,” Sprinkles said. “For communication from our district, please continue to check the school websites and social media pages.”

Milam County Judge Steve Young said county officials have been carefully monitoring the COVID 19 virus for the last several weeks.

“We have communicated daily with our countywide partners, including the medical providers, the schools and others,” Young said. “We are happy to report that there are no reported cases of the virus in Milam County. However, there is one reported case in our neighboring Bell County and we are monitoring that situation carefully.”

He said the best thing we can do at this point is to prevent the spread of the virus. Typically, the virus is contained in moisture droplets that are excreted when coughing or sneezing. Thus, the virus can be spread by coming in contact with such droplets or by touching someone or something that has already come into contact with the virus.

“To prevent the spread, we recommend avoiding attending a large gathering where you could come into contact with someone who has unknowingly contracted the virus,” Young said. “Remember a lot of people in the county have been out of the state and out of the country for spring break. Secondly, wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds and do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth with your hands, as the virus can easily enter your body through your eyes, nose and mouth. Lastly, if you are sick, stay home.”

“All of the public schools in Milam County will be closed next week to protect the health of the students, teachers, administrators and staff to prevent the spread of the disease,” Young said. “Further, the UIL has decided to cancel all high school sporting events until further notice for the same reasons. This situation will be monitored day by day, so please stay tuned for further developments. All of us at Milam County support this wise decision.”

Continue to check our cameronherald.com for updates this week and pick up this week’s edition.