As the spread of COVID-19, also known as coronavirus, commands the attention of nations around the globe, St. Louis U. High joins the community of institutions big and small preparing for a potential outbreak.

SLUH is quickly developing a thorough body of protocols for dealing with potential scenarios coronavirus may pose, many of which are facing schools, businesses, and other institutions abroad and in the United States.

The school administration is relying on a threepronged approach to information gathering and protocol development to respond to the disease: The World Health Organization (WHO), which tracks the global spread of coronavirus; the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is studying and outlining policies for Americans to follow; and the St. Louis City and County Health Departments, which work locally and would play a primary role in coordinating a response if a St. Louis area outbreak occurred.

“Obviously, there are a lot of moving pieces and unknowns with the growth of an epidemic or even a pandemic, like coronavirus,” said Principal Ian Gibbons, SJ. “Due diligence, caution, care for the whole community, not overreacting, not being complicit—all of these pieces are a balance.”

A recent email update sent to parents outlined the school’s approach to the is-sue. By being prepared and sharing resources, the administration hopes to curb unnecessary fear or alarmist discussion. Regular communication will happen via email updates.

“The United States is still considered very low risk, and that’s something I want to emphasize,” said school nurse Scott Gilbert. “But it does have potential, so it’s something we really need to keep our eyes on.” As of right now, the administration is advising regular health consciousness.

“Whether it’s coronavirus, influenza A, or influenza B, the message is very simple: if you’re sick, you need to stay home, and we need to make sure that we’re washing our hands and doing the things we’ve been told to do for years and years to protect ourselves from illnesses like the flu,” said Gilbert.

Weeks ago, the school administration opted to cancel the spring break trip to China, which is designated a level three on the CDC’s one to three travel risk assessment scale. This choice was a disappointing but clear one to make. Still, some traveling in lower risk zones feel a slight anxiety over contact with coronavirus. The school is closely monitoring the situation in areas where there will be Campus Ministry-sponsored immersion trips. None of these have been designated areas of concern, so the trips are expected to continue as planned.

Spring breakers traveling on their own are advised to follow regular health precautions. In Florida, a popular spring break destination, just five cases have been confirmed and each involved travel to China. No cases have been reported in the Mexican states Quintana Roo and Baja California Sur, the states containing resort destinations Cancún and Cabo San Lucas, respectively.

SLUH is asking anyone visiting a level two or three country to self-quarantine for 14 days following their return and to refrain from coming to campus. Absences during this period are excused. School closings because of an outbreak are decided by the St. Louis County and St. Louis City Health Departments. Both individual absences and whole school closures pose obstacles to keeping up with the regular timeline of classroom curriculums.

For students to go without instruction for an extended period of time, especially considering that the odds are they are not ill, would be, in the administration’s view, both inefficient and unnecessary. To many students’ disappointment, days home would not be days off. As expressed in the email to parents, SLUH is setting a “virtual school protocol” to “ensure the continuity of instruction.”

According to Gibbons, administrators and teachers are thinking through what short term online-based instruction would look like. This creative challenge to teachers is a potential self-discipline challenge to students, some of whom have joked about what they see as a silver lining of cancelled classes. Faculty meetings on Monday and Tuesday will inform faculty of the hypothetical scenarios they may need to prepare for.