Planning To Reopen - Our Schools, Mitigation Levels and Factors to Consider

8/6/2020 (Permalink)

Wile things have improved as emergency orders have loosened, the news cycle constantly reminds us that we are not in the clear. On the contrary, one slight miss step and a new COVID-19 "hot spot" emerges on the map. For the vast majority of our "Planning to Reopen" series of blogs our main focus has been on sifting through the tsunami of information and sharing that which would best help the business owners of Commonwealth protect themselves, their employees, and their customers. We feel, now, it is time to pivot. 

As the state, communities and families struggle to understand what this all means and the best, safest, course of action to take we will be doing our best to share with our communities the most up-to-date guidance regarding best practices to reopen our school systems in the most responsible and safe way possible.

According to the CDC, in lieu of a vaccine or therapeutic drug, mitigation is the greatest weapon communities can wield to slow the spread of a virus with pandemic potential such as COVID-19. COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a new (and some data suggests evolving) coronavirus.

The following highlights CDC's recommended levels of mitigation and factors to consider when developing your communities' plan pertaining to safely reopening our schools.  

NOTE: COVID-19 is highly transmissible. Individuals should follow these universal precautions regardless of the extent of mitigation needed:

1. Follow healthy hygiene practices
2. Stay at home when sick
3. Practice social distancing 
4. Use a cloth face covering (with some exceptions) in community settings when physical distancing cannot be maintained.

As always, work with your local health officials to determine a set of strategies appropriate for your community’s situation.

(See our "Planning to Reopen series of blogs for more information regarding CDC, EPA, FDA, Mass EEA and OSHA safety requirements). To review the administration's reopening guidance from the state click here. To view Governor Baker's full report click here).

Level of Mitigation 

The goal of community mitigation is to slow the potential spread of COVID-19 and to protect all individuals, especially those at increased risk for severe illness, while minimizing the negative impacts of these strategies. We all know that every community presents unique challenges. The guidance below will help decision makers formulate the appropriate levels of mitigation based on their community specific transmission characteristics.

1. Mitigation Level - Shelter In Place
   • Community Transmission Level
     • Substantial, uncontrolled transmission
   • Identifiable Community Characteristics
     • Large scale, uncontrolled community transmission, including communal settings 
2. Mitigation Level - Significant mitigation
   • Community Transmission Level
     • Substantial, controlled transmission
   • Identifiable Community Characteristics
     • Large scale, controlled community transmission, including communal settings 
3. Mitigation Level - Moderate mitigation
   • Community Transmission Level
     • Minimal to moderate community transmission
   • Identifiable Community Characteristics
     • Sustained transmission with high likelihood or confirmed exposure within communal settings and potential for rapid increase in cases
4. Mitigation Level - Low mitigation
   • Community Transmission Level
     • No to minimal community transmission
   • Identifiable Community Characteristics
     • Evidence of isolated cases or limited community transmission, case investigations underway; no evidence of exposure in large communal setting

Factors to Consider

Decision making will vary based on the level of community transmission and local circumstances. The guidance below identify factors for decision makers to consider when formulating the appropriate levels of mitigation based on their community specific transmission characteristics.

1. Epidemiology
   1. Level of community transmission: more extensive mitigation will be needed when there is greater community transmission
   2. Number and type of outbreaks in specific settings or with vulnerable populations, including, but not limited to nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, correctional facilities, meat and poultry processing plants, and the homeless population
   3. Severity of the disease
   4. Impact of the level of community transmission and any outbreaks on delivery of healthcare or other critical infrastructure or services
   5. Epidemiology in surrounding jurisdictions
2. Community Characteristics
   
   1. Size of community and population density
   2. Level of community engagement and support
   3. Size and characteristics of vulnerable populations
   4. Access to healthcare
   5. Transportation infrastructure (e.g., availability and use of mass transit)
   6. Type of business or industry
   7. Congregate settings (e.g., correctional facilities, homeless shelters)
   8. Planned large events/gatherings, such as sporting events
   9. Relationship of community to other communities (e.g., transportation hub, tourist destination, volume of commuting, and other attributes)
3. Healthcare Capacity
   
   1. Healthcare workforce
   2. Number of healthcare facilities (including ancillary healthcare facilities)
   3. Testing activity
   4. Intensive care capacity
   5. Availability of personal protective equipment (PPE)
4. Public Health Capacity
   
   1. Public health workforce and availability of resources to implement strategies (e.g., resources to detect, test, track, and isolate cases)
   2. Available support from other state/local government agencies and partner organizations

Reminder

Each community is unique. Appropriate mitigation strategies should be based on the best available data. Decision making will vary based on the level of community transmission and local circumstances.

1. No one strategy is sufficient.

While the administration continues to work with communities to implement best practices and protocols for reopening our schools we will continue to share with you guidance from the CDC, EPA, FDA, Mass EEA and OSHA and the Governor's office to follow as we prepare for the new school year.

Also, we at SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley know that not every community has access to the resources necessary to meet the strict cleaning guidelines to ensure a safe environment for our children. For those communities, we are here to help!

Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned

The Disaster Remediation Teams at SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley are specialists in cleaning services and we adhere to the highest cleaning and sanitation standards. We are prepared to clean and disinfect your schools, according to protocols set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We have years of experience in dealing with biological contaminants, and we will go beyond the scope of work of "normal daily cleaning". Call SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley today for a free consultation - (617) 332-9000.

All of us here at SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley want you and your loved ones to stay safe and know that we will make it through this together! Rest assured, we will continue to do our best to keep you up-to-date and informed!