New Coronavirus: Polk Schools Working With Health Officials

LAKELAND, FL —Polk County Public Schools is working with county health officials to prepare for the new coronavirus, but has not yet announced any specific actions to protect students and faculty or deal with a possible outbreak.

"We have plans that date back to prior pandemics ... and currently are working with ... Dr. Joy Jackson, director of the Florida Department of Health in Polk County and her team to update those plans, to ensure that an appropriate response is in place in regard to the coronavirus," a district spokesperson told Patch Wednesday.

In Miami, the nation's fourth largest school district, Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho announced Wednesday the district is halting overseas school trips, placing hand sanitizers on buses, making counseling services available to children with anxiety and changing procedures for new students amid growing concerns over the spread of the illness.

The Polk County Public Schools spokesperson said an example of the district's earlier pandemic plans include swine flu, also known as the H1N1 virus.