West African Ebola Outbreak
Brote de Ébola en África Occidentalتفشي وباء اإليبوال في غرب أفريقياDịch Ebola Bùng phát tại Tây Phiرغمیب ارفہقی یک اوبیال)Ebola( یک وا
"Ebola is not spread through casual contact; therefore,
the risk of an outbreak in the U.S. is very low."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is prompting widespread news coverage and concern. The few cases reported in the U.S. have been directly traced to individuals who traveled to affected areas such as Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Nigeria.
Despite the small risk of an outbreak at home, the Virginia Department of Health, Prince William Health District, and the Centers for Disease Control offer extensive Ebola information and are all monitoring the situation closely to protect public health. Prince William County Public Schools is following their lead to ensure the continued safety of students, staff, and our community.
PWCS Safety Measures: - Screening students who recently traveled to (or were direct contact with individuals who have been in ) affected areas, as specified by the CDC;
- Assessing risk of exposure/infection among screened individuals;
- Referring appropriate cases to health authorities for follow-up;
- Working with Prince William Health District and other agencies to ensure proper response in the unlikely event of a suspected infection locally;
- Educating to ensure continued illness prevention practices; and
- Alerting community to infection-related issues, as needed.
Reassuring Children:
The constant news and discussion of Ebola may be distressing children. PWCS offers some suggestions to ease their concerns.