Coronavirus: Port Washington Schools To Cancel Travel, Close At 6

PORT WASHINGTON, NY — All international and domestic travel and field trips involving Port Washington Union Free School District students has been cancelled, according to a letter to families from Superintendent Michael Hynes. The decision comes in response to the rapidly spreading new coronavirus.

In addition, all after school activities will be done by 6 p.m. when the buildings will close so crews can properly sanitize them, including classroom desks, keyboards and other communal areas. This restriction includes access to locker rooms.

The letter said as of March 10, nobody living or working in the Port Washington Union Free School District has tested positive for coronavirus.

New guidance from state officials require that if a student or staff member tests positive, the entire school district will close for 24 hours.

The school district has set up a new web page where the community can be updated on the school's latest info on the coronavirus. The page will have info from several health organizations, from the Nassau County Department of Health to the World Health Organization.

Trips cancelled include the Disney trip. School officials are contacting tour companies to find information on vouchers or refunds.

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See also:

• Cuomo Signs $40M Bill To Battle Coronavirus
• Coronavirus On Long Island: Schools Close As Disease Spreads
• Coronavirus: 142 NY Cases, Schools Close, State Makes Hand Soap
• Port Washington Issues Coronavirus Advisory
• Port Washington Schools Respond To Coronavirus Outbreak

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Monday that state health and education officials will work together to issue guidance for schools in the event that students, teachers and other staff test positive for the virus. Under the policy, schools would have to close for at least 24 hours to allow the school enough time to disinfect buildings.

On Monday, all schools in the Shoreham-Wading River School District in Suffolk County were closed after a staff member's spouse may have been exposed to coronavirus. Also on Monday, it was confirmed that a worker at a popular Long Island brewery was the first Suffolk County patient being treated for coronavirus.

Hofstra University canceled all in-person classes this week after a student reported flu-like symptoms and Columbia University canceled all classes Monday and Tuesday after a school member was exposed to the disease, officially known as COVID-19. Scarsdale schools also just announced it would shut down through March 18.

Laura Curran, the Nassau County executive, postponed her annual State of the County address — initially scheduled for Wednesday — to focus on the virus.

Cuomo told reporters Monday state officials will send schools, the MTA and other public entities its own hand sanitizer consisting of 75 percent alcohol. The move is meant to combat price-gouging.

"This is a superior product to products now in the market," Cuomo said, noting that the sanitizer comes in a variety of flavors. The soap is cheaper than anything the government would be able to buy, he said.