News

Coronavirus Info from the Peabody Department of Health

March 5, 2020

Dear Staff and Families of the Peabody Public Schools,

The Peabody Health Department continues to actively monitor and assess the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) as it
relates to the health and well-being of our schools and community. We remain in regular contact with the Massachusetts
Department of Public Health and follow the guidance issued by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Although the risk of Coronavirus in Massachusetts remains low at this time, we know that people are concerned about the
potential impact of this disease in our community. The City of Peabody government is vigilant and actively planning for any
changes in the spread of illness in the U.S. The health and well-being of our students, staff, and community members remains
our highest priority as we work together to understand the potential implications of the virus.
Along with our public health partners on the North Shore, the Peabody Health Department has protocols in place to address
communicable diseases in the event of an outbreak, and we have conducted many drills over the years to test our plans and
improve our response capability. COVID-19 precautionary measures remain the same as influenza prevention. While there is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19, these simple steps can help stop the spread of this and other respiratory viruses:

  • 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 cough (cough into you elbow) or sneeze with a tissue
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces

As part of our efforts to track illness in the community, we are requesting that if you need to keep your child home sick from
school, please leave information on the school’s call-in line indicating if the absence is due to fever, respiratory illness, or other
flu-like symptoms.

We continue to encourage all members of our community to take precautions and exercise good preventative health practices.
To learn more about these practices and for updates about COVID-19, please monitor the City’s websites at
https://www.peabody-ma.gov/health.html and https://peabody.k12.ma.us/. As information develops, we will continue to update
you through these websites and through the Peabody Health Department’s Facebook page.
We thank you for working with us to keep our community healthy. Feel free to contact us at (978) 538-5926 if you have any
additional questions.

Sincerely,

Sharon Cameron
Director of Health
City of Peabody

Brenda Wolff
School Nurse Leader
City of Peabody

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