Hatboro-Horsham Schools Preparing For Coronavirus

HORSHAM, PA — As five schools in nearby Central Bucks County shut down Friday over concerns about the new coronavirus, officials with Hatboro-Horsham School District said they are preparing for the possibility of a local outbreak.

Currently, there are no reported cases of the virus, also known as COVID-19, in the Hatboro-Horsham community.

School officials said Friday they are following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The district has begun "enhanced cleaning" of schools and buses and school nurses are monitoring student symptoms. Parents are encouraged to report symptoms when they call children in sick from school.

In the event of an extreme situation, officials said Friday, there's a possibility the district will need to close one or more schools based on guidance from the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Families are encouraged to prepare for a school closure that can range from a few days to "an extended duration," officials said..

'If warranted, these shortages will likely occur on short notice," the district said in a news release. "Additionally, if schools are required to close for a long duration, the district is exploring and planning for the potential delivery of online learning."

The Hatboro-Horsham district has created a coronavirus resource page on its website. It includes local updates, as well as links to information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization and other public health resources.

The district also has created a master emergency management plan for health emergencies.

"We hope the COVID-19 does not cause a health emergency in our area, however, we must be prepared for this potential situation," said Superintendent Curtis Griffin.

On Friday, five schools in the Central Bucks School District were closed after people in the district were exposed to a confirmed case of the coronavirus.

There were no known cases of the virus in the district, but the people had been exposed to someone from out of state who had it, school officials said.