Update: 8 p.m. | March 12
Lee County Schools has suspended all after-school activities, according to a statement from the district today. The district announced the following is canceled until further notice to combat the COVID-19 coronavirus:
- All field trips (in-county and out-of-county or state).
- All professional development for staff outside the district.
- Based on the action by the NCHSAA, all high school athletics, including practices, workouts, and skill development sessions are suspended statewide effective at 11:59 p.m. on Friday and lasts through April 6.
- All middle school athletics, including practices.
- No visitors will be allowed past a school’s front office unless there is an emergency.
Update: 4:14 p.m. | March 12
Piedmont cotillion at the Elks Lodge in Sanford has been cancelled until further notice. No classes are scheduled for tonight or next Thursday.
Update: 4:06 p.m. | March 12
Grace Christian School issued a letter to staff, students, volunteers and parents today asking that if a child or adult in the school misses a day due to absence, they return with a medical release signed by a doctor. Adults or children who present symptoms of COVID-19 must also wait 72 hours before returning to campus (with a signed release). All field trips and athletic events have been canceled for the foreseeable future as well.
Ministry events and school days will also include mandatory hand-washing periods, and shaking hands during services has been discouraged.
Update: 4:03 p.m. | March 12
The Sanford Area Soccer League has suspended all practices and games until April 1, according to SASL executive director Mary-Jo Thompson.
Update: 3:44 p.m. | March 12
The NCHSAA has canceled the state basketball championships and has suspended all high school sports programs from the spring. The suspension of all spring athletics (games, practices, workouts, etc.) will be effective at 11:59 p.m. on Friday and last through April 6.
Original story: 2 p.m. | March 11
How about that coronavirus, eh?
As of today (Thursday, March 12), no confirmed reports of the virus have been reported in Lee County, though the state’s second confirmed case did come from neighboring Chatham County on almost a week ago.
That doesn’t mean COVID-19 isn’t having an impact on local events, schools and government institutions. The following is a rundown of actions taken locally to combat the spread of the virus, which has affected nearly 130,000 people globally (4,751 deaths), more than 1,300 people in the United States (37 deaths) and nine people in North Carolina (0 deaths), according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
The following list includes local agencies and schools and the actions they’ve taken thus far in response to COVID-19.
For a comprehensive site detailing the symptoms, common questions and updates on the virus, visit the Center for Disease Control’s COVID-19 website.
Lee County Schools
No changes have been made to class schedules or school days at Lee County Schools, which will recognize Spring Break on April 6-10.
No information on the virus or steps to combat the spread have been posted to the district’s website, though LCS did post a message on Facebook Tuesday stating: “We will continue to consult with state and local health officials to make sure we have the best and latest information available to inform all of our decisions.”
A representative from Lee County Schools informed The Rant that an update to the district’s response will be given later today.
Central Carolina Community College
Central Carolina Community College — which is currently on Spring Break — posted on its website today (March 12) several new procedures being implemented (though no decision has been made regarding classes when they resume next week). Among them:
- Only essential travel is allowed at least through the end of the month (March 31)
- No new travel authorizations will be approved until further notice
- College-organized gatherings are being redesigned as possible and appropriate in the following ways:
- reduced size of group interaction
- switched to virtual format
- rescheduled
- canceled
- No outside groups will be allowed to utilize campus facilities in spaces where students typically meet
- CCCC is reviewing custodial procedures to determine additional strategies that will be implemented for stepped-up disinfection
- Faculty are determining/developing potential strategies to finish the semester limiting required meetings in the event CCCC makes that decision
The college also canceled a scheduled ribbon cutting ceremony today for its Chatham Health Sciences Center in Pittsboro.
Grace Christian School
Grace Christian School issued a letter to staff, students, volunteers and parents today asking that if a child or adult in the school misses a day due to absence, they return with a medical release signed by a doctor. Adults or children who present symptoms of COVID-19 must also wait 72 hours before returning to campus (with a signed release). All field trips and athletic events have been canceled for the foreseeable future as well.
Ministry events and school days will also include mandatory hand-washing periods, and shaking hands during services has been discouraged.
First Health
FirstHealth of the Carolinas is asking for the community’s cooperation when visiting its hospitals:
- Visit immediate family only
- Do not allow children under 12 to visit the hospital
- Do not visit anyone in the hospital if you have come in contact with someone who is known to have COVID-19 or if you are experiencing symptoms
- Wash your hands and cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing to prevent the spread of infections
Temple Theatre
Temple Theatre’s production of “Steel Magnolias” begins tonight, and as they say in the industry, “the show must go on.”
Temple has, however, canceled today’s schedule Masterclass series with Les Miserables actress Kate Moore, as the national tour has suspended all special events in which their actors are scheduled.
Have a coronavirus-related announcement or closing you’d like to share with us? Email billy@rantnc.com to have it added to our on-running updates.