Mount Vernon Closes Schools Over Coronavirus

MOUNT VERNON, NY — The Mount Vernon school district is closing all its schools for two days because two of its students are in families that have voluntarily quarantined themselves due to possible exposure to the new coronavirus. It's the second Westchester school district to do so on Wednesday.

Neither student has shown any symptoms of the contagious virus known as COVID-19, said schools Superintendent Kenneth R. Hamilton. However, they will be staying home for the 14-day quarantine period that about 500 people in Westchester County have self-imposed since 10 residents were confirmed to have tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday.

"Out of an abundance of caution, the district has closed all school buildings and offices effective immediately and the schools will be completely cleaned and disinfected," Hamilton said. "It is anticipated that the buildings will reopen on Monday under a normal schedule, once the cleaning program is complete."

District officials learned about the two students, one who attends Columbus School and one at Rebecca Turner Elementary School, from their family physician, Hamilton said.

"We have been further advised by the children’s physician that the students have not shown any actual symptoms at this time. At this time no physician offices have the ability to test for COVID-19. The test can only be done by New York State or the Centers for Disease Control," he said.

Please be assured the Mount Vernon City School District is coordinating its response efforts in concert with the City of Mount Vernon and New York State.

The Hastings-on-Hudson school district has also closed for the next two days, and for the same reason.

Yeshiva University in New York City closed because one of its students was diagnosed with the virus. SAR High School in Riverdale will be closed until after Purim, which ends the evening of March 10. SAR Elementary School will be closed Friday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday afternoon at a news conference.

The closures are all related to a 50-year-old New Rochelle man who tested positive for the new coronavirus and is currently hospitalized.

The quarantined people include his family and people at the schools his children attend; a neighbor who drove him to the hospital and who caught the virus; a friend and his family, who caught the virus from him; congregants and attendees at recent events at Young Israel of New Rochelle synagogue; eight staffers at New York Presbyterian-Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville; students and staff at the SAR Academy in Riverdale and at Westchester Torah Academy; people at Yeshiva University; and members of the hospitalized man's midtown Manhattan law firm.

According to the CDC, “It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.”

CDC recommends preventive actions to help avoid spreading respiratory diseases, such as:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• Stay home if sick
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue away

SEE ALSO:

• Westchester Announces Phone Numbers For Coronavirus Information
• 11 Coronavirus Cases In New York
• Coronavirus In Westchester, NYC: Hundreds To Be Quarantined
• Coronavirus: Marist College Suspending Classes In Italy
• Coronavirus: 300 NY Students Studying Abroad Ordered Home
• Westchester Coronavirus: Officials Close Synagogue
• NY Coronavirus: State OKs $40 Million Emergency Spending
• Coronavirus: 300 NY Students Studying Abroad Ordered Home
• Hastings School District To Close Due To Coronavirus