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“Are you going to see some schools shut down? Probably,” acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney reported said at the Conservative Political Action Conference outside Washington, D.C. “Maybe see impacts on public transportation? Sure, but we do this. We know how to handle this.”
Mulvaney’s statement comes as the stock market continues to plummet amid fears of the spread of the virus.
As of Friday, Feb. 28, there have been 82,294 cases of coronavirus (1,185 new) confirmed across the globe. Of those cases, 78,630 were reported in China, with 3,664 (746 new) reported outside of China. There have been 2,804 confirmed deaths related to the virus.
Fifty-nine cases (six new) have been confirmed in the United States, with another 11 in Canada.
In Japan, all schools will be closed for the next month to help curtail the spread of coronavirus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials warned schools to prepare for a possible spread of the virus.
Nancy Messonnier, a director at the Centers for Disease Control, reportedly said she had contacted her children’s school district, asking about plans for computer-based learning if the schools needed to close. CDC officials also suggested schools could divide classes into smaller groups.
Officials also put out recommendations for how school districts should respond to students who may be returning from trips to China.
Schools may request that students stay home for up to two weeks upon their return to the states, though healthy students cannot be legally be barred from attending classes.
President Donald Trump said at a press conference his week that the risk to Americans is “very low,” adding “I think schools should be preparing, and you know, get ready just in case. The words are ‘just in case.’ ”
According to the CDC, the widespread transmission of COVID-19 in the United States would translate into large numbers of people needing medical care at the same time. Schools, childcare centers, workplaces, and other places for mass gatherings may experience more absenteeism.
Public health and healthcare systems may become overloaded, with elevated rates of hospitalizations and deaths. Other critical infrastructure, such as law enforcement, emergency medical services, and the transportation industry may also be affected.
Transportation hubs have been cautious with the spread of the disease, with the MTA employing the guidance in multiple languages warning of coronavirus cross the system on 3,600 subway screens, 2,000 bus screens and at 84 subway station street entrances.
The same messaging is also being deployed across MTA railroads. Extended hours are also being offered for employees to receive free flu shots at any MTA Medical Assessment Center.
Earlier this month, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo noted the Department of Health is working with the MTA, Port Authority and its airport operators, and the authorities' respective workforces to “ensure workers have the necessary training and access to supplies, including cleaning and protective equipment, they need to continue to operate mass transit systems and airports.”
“I have said before that it is highly probable that you will see a continuing spread of this virus. It is highly probable that we will have people in New York State that test positive. New York is the front door internationally. We have people coming here from across the world,” Cuomo said.
“We see how it is spreading and affecting different countries - Italy recently - and that will continue. Again, I think it is highly probable and no one should be surprised when we have positive cases in New York.”
According to health officials, there are seven types of coronaviruses. Most cause respiratory symptoms similar to the common cold, with mild to moderate illness, such as coronaviruses 229E, NL63, OC43 and HKU1.
These four types of coronavirus are quite common and not worrisome. Only SARS, MERS and novel coronavirus frequently cause severe illness.
There is currently no vaccine for the coronavirus, though health officials are actively working on a solution. They noted that “everyday preventative actions can help stop the spread of the virus, including washing hands, avoiding contact with people who are sick and frequently cleaning or disinfecting objects and surfaces.”
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