Administration at Riverside Brookfield High School is talking about a next course of action regarding COVID-19, the disease that can possibly arise as a result of exposure to the coronavirus, or SARS-CoV-2. RBHS has been in communication with other schools in the area, including Komarek, Hauser, and S.E. Gross, to come up with a common protocol to prevent the further spread of the COVID-19 disease.

According to a letter the district sent home and also shared on a new rbhs208.net coronavirus-related page, the district is requesting that all parents report any out of country travel to administration so proper actions can be taken to prevent the possible spread of germs.

“District 208 is asking all parents to share with the school district if you or your student has recently traveled outside the United States or plans to travel outside the United States prior to the end of the school year,” according to a letter posted by the district about COVID-19.

The coronavirus, or COVID-19, is a respiratory illness that was first identified during late 2019 in Wuhan, China, and is now being identified as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease, and all the symptoms that come with it. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms include but are not limited to fever, shortness of breath, and overall fatigue.

The rapid spread of the virus makes the discussion of students’ safety in school very relevant. Many schools and universities have opted to close their on-campus classrooms, like Ohio State University and Harvard, to try to protect their students and stop the further spread of the virus.

But other schools, like RBHS at this point, have decided the best course of action is to stay in school and increase sanitary measures.
The request to self-report has already affected one student at RBHS. Ken Scheuermann recently went on a trip to Japan with his family. According to the CDC, as of now, Japan is a “Level 2” country with regard to the COVID-19 infection rate which means all visitors and residents should practice enhanced precautions.

“We used masks, washed our hands regularly, and used hand sanitizer and other disinfectants,” Scheuermann said.
Even though Scheuermann followed proper CDC protocols, RB administration reached out to the family in an abundance of caution over potential COVID-19 spread. Principal Héctor Freytas worked with the Scheuermann family and determined that self-quarantine was the best way to protect students from potential illness.

“They’ve shared (the fact that) if you have traveled to a country that is considered a ‘Level Two’ or a ‘Level Three,’ they recommend that the person does a self-quarantine,” Freytas said. “Our job is to protect our students, teachers, and parents, with the advice of the scientists and the doctors that are leading these efforts.”