Falmouth Coronavirus: Band Night Canceled At High School

FALMOUTH, MA — All Bands Night, scheduled for Wednesday night at Falmouth High School, has been canceled as a precautionary measure amidst concerns over the new coronavirus. Gov. Baker declared the state of emergency Tuesday after the number of new presumptive positive coronavirus cases in Massachusetts more than doubled to 92.

None of those cases were in Barnstable County, and school officials said there is no immediate concern in Falmouth, but the district is following reccomendations to cancel large school gathering and events that incloude seniors and other members of the community with increased risk of contracting COVID-19.

"It's always difficult to disappoint our students and families, especially for such a wonderful event," school officials said in a statement. "However, to err on the side of caution, and to follow the advice set out by Town officials, we feel this is the best decision at this time. Although there is no immediate concern in Falmouth, the recommendation is to cancel large school gatherings and events that include our older population and members of our community that may have increased risk of illness.Be assured we are considering all relevant information and making decisions daily for the safety of our students, staff, and community."

Don't miss updates about precautions in your area as they are announced. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called COVID-19, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now transferring from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 it and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.