Falmouth Coronavirus: School Canceled Next 2 Weeks

FALMOUTH, MA — School officials have closed all public schools in Falmouth for the next two weeks following growing concern surrounding the new coronavirus. School will be closed from Monday through March 27, and school officials expect classes to begin again on March 30.

While closed, all school activities are canceled. In addition, other town facilities will also be closed. They include:

• The Falmouth Public Library locations at Main Street, East Falmouth, and North Falmouth: Library staff will work regular schedules and be available to provide services to the public by phone and email.
• The Falmouth Senior Center: All group classes and activities are canceled. Senior services employees will be on duty and available to meet with clients by appointment and by phone to continue critical services to seniors during this time.
• The Gus Canty Recreation Center: Staff will work regular schedules and be available to provide services to the public by phone and email.

"During week two, we will assess the need to extend these closures," Superintendent Lori Duerr and Town Manager Julian Suso said in a joint statement. "The purpose of these closures is to allow for the preventative action of social distancing. All members of the Falmouth community are strongly encouraged to avoid unnecessary travel. Please remember that those who are elderly and members of high risk populations require additional precautions and should avoid crowds and nonessential travel."

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, 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.

As of Wednesday there were 95 cases of coronavirus in Massachusetts, including 23 in Norfolk County.

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The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now being transmitted 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 and no antiviral treatment.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the best way of to prevent the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands, wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and 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 if you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Massachusetts coronavirus coverage:

• MA Coronavirus Cases Hit 95, More Than 1,000 Quarantined
• MA Coronavirus Cases Hit 92 As State Of Emergency Declared
• Coronavirus: MIAA Scrambles To Finish Basketball, Hockey Playoffs