Falmouth Coronavirus: Updates To School Events Calendar

FALMOUTH, MA — The Falmouth School District has made several cancellations and changes to the school events calendar following growing concerns surrounding the new coronavirus. Superintendent Lori Duerr said there is no immediate concern for COVID-19 in Falmouth, but the district has made these decisions to err on the side of caution.

"Our top priority is the safety of our students, staff, and community," Duerr said in a statement. "I will communicate all updates through family emails, on our website, and on social media."

Here is the updated schedule of events. All Choral Night is only canceled for the public. Students wil still be given the opportunity to showcase their talents and hard work, as in-school performances will be recorded and shared on the Falmouth Educational Access Television, channel 14.

• March 12 - Choral Booster Meeting will occur as scheduled
• March 12 - Falmouth High School Winter Sports Awards - Teams will meet separately for athletes to receive their awards. At the Falmouth High School main entrance, please follow room assignments for each team.
• March 13-14 - Junior Southeast Festival has been canceled
• March 16 - All Choral Night has been canceled
• March 18 - Math Night for Grades K-2 at Teaticket has been canceled
• March 18 - North Falmouth Grade 2 trip to Upper Cape Tech has been canceled
• March 18 - Mullen-Hall Grade 1 Concert has been canceled
• March 19 - Falmouth High School Blood Drive has been canceled
• March 19 - Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) Happy Square Pegs presentation at Mullen-Hall School will occur as scheduled
• March 19 - Falmouth High School Junior Parent Guidance Night has been canceled
• March 20 - Falmouth High School Credit for Life Fair has been postponed
• March 20 - Mullen-Hall PTO Bingo Night has been postponed
• March 20 - East Falmouth Elementary School Spring Dance/Cake Walk has been postponed
• March 20 - Falmouth High School Senior Semi-Formal has been canceled
• March 25 - Teaticket School Grade 1 Concert has been canceled
• March 25 - Mullen-Hall Grade 2 Concert has been canceled
• March 25 – Math Night for Grades 3-4 at East Falmouth School has been canceled
• March 26 – Lawrence Career Fair has been postponed
• March 26 – Falmouth High School French Honor Society Induction has been canceled
• March 27 – Falmouth High School Hypnotist (Freshman Fundraiser) has been canceled

More info on Coronavirus:

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.

As of Wednesday there were 95 cases of coronavirus in Massachustts, none of which were in Barnstable County.

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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.

See more on 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