Menifee schools, city officials guard against coronavirus

Murrieta Valley High School will be closed until after testing of a school employee for coronavirus. Photo courtesy of MVHS website

Menifee schools are taking extra precautions and the City of Menifee is monitoring updates on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Meanwhile, neighboring Murrieta Valley High School will be closed until further notice after a school employee fell ill and is being tested for the coronavirus, district officials announced.

In a statement released late Friday, Murrieta Valley Unified School District announced that the school is being closed "out of an abundance of caution". The school will be closed on Monday and will remain closed until testing of the employee is complete. Meanwhile, the school will be disinfected.

The employee, who has not been named because of privacy laws, recently traveled to a country with a known coronavirus outbreak.

In addition, Riverside County health officials have ordered 71 students to self-quarantine. These students may have come into contact with the employee, according to the MVUSD statement.

"While I want to reassure the students, family and staff at MVHS that the risk of transmission is low, I support the school district's decision to temporarily close the school until testing is complete," said Dr. Cameron Kaiser, Riverside County public health officer.

Safety tips provided in the statement remind people to wash their hands often, cover sneezes and coughs, keep surfaces clean, and stay home if they are sick.

The Menifee Union School District, which has been planning COVID-19 preparedness in conjunction with the county health department, announced Friday it has already or will be taking additional precautionary measures, including:

-- Increased custodial support to be proactive in cleaning high traffic areas of schools.
-- Provided specific custodial training for all MUSD custodians related to best practices for school
sanitation and preventing the spread of viruses on school campuses.
-- Purchased an electrostatic sprayer, disinfectants and sanitizers to ensure all surfaces are properly
treated should the need arise.
-- Provided specific health office protocol for suspected COVID‐19 illness,
-- Staff training for using disinfectant related to best practices for school sanitation and preventing the
spread of viruses on school campuses.
-- Increased supply of disinfectant at each school site.
-- Increased supply of surgical masks to comply with COVID‐19 health office protocol.
-- Provide guidance from District Nurses to promote healthy habits to prevent the spread of germs
Precautionary Measure to be implemented on or before the week of March 30 (depending upon receipt from vendor)
-- Provide additional hand sanitizing stations (5) at each school site.

The Perris Union High School District has a statement with safety tips on its website and will be updating its announcement this week, said Deputy Superintendent Candace Reines.

The City of Menifee is working with local health officials and is closely monitoring developments, according to a statement released this week.

"The City of Menifee is integrated into the emergency management functions and oversight of the County of Riverside Emergency Management Department, and City representatives are participating in regular briefings with public health officials and have taken initial steps to ensure the city is prepared should additional steps be needed," according to the statement.