Page 41 - Campus Security & Life Safety, July/August 2021

learning.
Review, update and execute EOPs. It is
highly recommended that school administra- tors prepare and put together an updated Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) that aligns with current CDC COVID-19 standards.
To best prepare, schools should expect that students, teachers or staff may become sick with or been exposed to someone with COVID-19. Every school should have a response plan in place for providing a clear procedure to follow when an individual tests positive for the virus.
This plan should be developed in collabo- ration with the guidelines set by state and local public health departments. It’s impor- tant that schools prioritize components of these guidelines that address infectious dis- ease outbreaks and their consequences.
For more tools and resources that can be used when reviewing and revising your plans, make sure to visit The Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance Center.
Suggestions for EOPs
Emergency Operations Plans can be complex documents, but in the case of an emergency,
the effort spent creating, updating and clari- fying these plans can deliver an important payoff – a rapid, coordinated response. While reviewing and updating your EOP, here are some tips that administrators have found to be helpful:
• Develop a protocol for monitoring local COVID-19 data in your community to keep track of the level of community trans- mission
• Develop and test systems to be used when sharing information with the school com- munity (ex: school-to-parent email or tex- ting protocols, periodic virtual meetings with parents/teachers, etc.)
• Adopt defense strategies to promote healthy behaviors that reduce the spread of COVID-19
• Examine the accessibility of information and resources to reduce the spread of COVID-19 - are they relevant, in plain lan- guage, and available in appropriate and accessible formats?
• Establish clear criteria for when the school will suspend in-person learning to stop or slow the spread of COVID-19 and when it will resume
Enforce During Reopening
During the reopening process, students and staff alike will have lots of questions, and will be adjusting their previously familiar rou- tines. Here are some suggestions to maxi- mize the effectiveness of this phase.
Promote healthy behavior. To protect our well-being and prevent schools from sus- pending in-person learning, students and teachers should always be practicing good hygiene upon their return. Schools can help with educational reinforcements as well as stepped-up enforcement measures to help everyone strengthen their healthy habits.
Encourage sick people to stay home.
Schools can take extra steps to educate both
staff and families about when they should stay home and when it’s appropriate to return to campus. Actively encourage staff and stu- dents who are sick or who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 to stay home and get tested. Reinforce that anyone who has confirmed positive test results, symp- toms of COVID-19, or who has been in close contact with someone who has it should stay home and follow CDC recommendations.
Reinforce hand cleanliness and mask eti- quette. School districts are in a good posi- tion to promote healthy practices. For exam- ple, staff can reinforce instructions by asking students to cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, rather than their hands or just not covering up. Staff can also remind students to wash their hands frequently, while being good examples themselves. Every classroom can also provide hand sanitizer (which con- tains approximately 60-70% alcohol) as a supplemental measure to disrupt transmis- sion between hand washings.
Enforce mask usage at all times. One important recommendation from the CDC regarding the current pandemic is to make sure students, teachers, and staff are consistently wearing masks that effectively cover their nose and mouth. Clear masks are available – or fabric masks with clear panels over the mouth area – if they are needed to help accommodate anyone with a hearing deficiency that relies on lip reading to aid understanding. Staff can improve mask effectiveness by reminding students (and other staff) to avoid touching their face covering or mask as much as possible. And as a backup measure, schools should have extra disposable masks available – as almost certainly they will sometimes be forgotten or may fail in some way.
Display signs and messages. Posting signs in highly-visible locations that promote everyday protective measures and describe
By Nancy Islas
Challenge Accepted
Reopening schools while maintaining health and safety
JULY/AUGUST | 2021 campuslifesecurity.com 41
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