Easton Middle School was set on having exchange students from Wuhan, China the week of February 3rd. The exchange program form China is an annual event that has happened 2 times before.
While the Coronavirus was unlikely to be transmitted to students, the trip was cancelled, according to Superintendent Lisha Cabral, due to “an abundance of caution.”
Mrs. Gardner, the middle school’s nurse, gave me some information about the symptoms of the Coronavirus.
The coronavirus is a respiratory based disease that originated in the province of Wuhan in China, although it has since spread to other countries. The main symptoms of this disease include fever, coughing, shortness of breath, and respiratory distress.
Luckily though, the Coronavirus has a low fatality rate, the most danger being already weak immune systems. There have been 8 cases in the US, one of them being a UMass Boston student.
To avoid catching the Coronavirus, only basic diesese avoiding precautions should be taken. Make sure to wash your hands, cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing, and avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands. If you have a fever, stay away from other people until you feel better.
All in all, as long as basic precautions are taken, it is extremely unlikely you will catch the Coronavirus. By limiting travel from infected locations in China, the risk has gone down even further.