Welina ke aloha e ka ‘ohana o Kamehameha Hawaiʻi,
We are well aware of the level of trust you put in us by sending your children to Kamehameha. We want you to know that we are grateful for that and do not take it lightly. We consider ours a sacred duty. Because of that, Kamehameha Schools continues to closely monitor the latest global developments regarding the Novel Coronavirus (also called COVID-19) and is putting significant efforts into prevention and preparedness should it spread to our local community. Connecting with our ‘ohana at this time is vitally important. If the outbreak reaches Hawaiʻi, a strong school-parent partnership will be critical.
While there have been no confirmed cases reported in Hawai‘i at this time, we are vigilantly gathering and monitoring information provided at each Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA) update and via guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Hawaiʻi Department of Health (HDOH).
Travel
We place the safety of our KS students above all else and ask that you please consider the fast-changing nature of COVID-19 when making travel plans in the coming months. The HDOH recommends that Hawai‘i residents reconsider their travel plans to regions with outbreaks because of restrictions and quarantine criteria that other countries have put in place or may put in place in the future. These restrictions may cause disruptions in travel and cause difficulties for Hawai‘i residents trying to return home.
If you are traveling to a CDC Level 3 country or if the country you are traveling to becomes reclassified as Level 3 while you are overseas, we ask that you notify the school prior to leaving and upon your return. You should also plan to keep your keiki home from school for 14 days following your return and seek medical attention if any symptoms develop during this period.
As of February 28, 2020, the CDC has issued the following travel advisories listed below, however, the situation with COVID-19 continues to rapidly change. The latest travel notices and advisories can be accessed at the U.S. Department of State and CDC websites. Currently:
A Level 3 travel notice (Warning) has been issued for mainland China (excludes Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan) and South Korea. All non-essential travel should be avoided.
A Level 2 travel notice (Alert) has been issued for Japan, Italy, and Iran. Older adults and those with chronic conditions should consider postponing non-essential travel to these countries.
A Level 1 travel notice (Watch) has been issued for Hong Kong, meaning travelers should practice usual precautions.
Other countries with risk of community spread are Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand.
At this time, Kamehameha Schools Hawaiʻi has canceled all planned travel for its regular school year and summer programs to Level 2 and Level 3 countries. In addition, hosting visitors from these countries has also been suspended. While disappointing, this is the best safeguard for our haumāna, ‘ohana, staff and community.
On-Campus Precautions
This is also a good opportunity to remember that flu season is still with us. The same everyday precautions that help prevent the spread of coronavirus can also help prevent the flu. Please continue to follow school protocols, in that any student exhibiting a fever or flu-like symptoms should stay home and have appropriate medical treatment.
Students and staff should stay home from school and work until free of fever (100.4°), signs of fever, or any other symptoms for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing or symptom-altering medicines.
KS students and staff are reminded to practice good respiratory etiquette:
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Our goal is always to maintain a clean and healthy learning environment for our students. As such, maintenance and facilities staff are following all routine cleaning procedures, using effective and safe cleaning solutions.
Potential COVID-19 Outbreak in HI
If a KS student or KS staff member is diagnosed with COVID-19, HDOH will direct our next steps and will develop a response protocol for the safety of our students, families, and staff. KS will follow all HDOH recommendations and we will communicate directly with you regarding the situation and next steps. KS has assembled its Crisis Management Team, similar to the team that addresses natural disaster situations, such as hurricanes, and are developing plans in case office and/or school closures are mandated.
As we receive more information concerning this situation, we will provide you with updates as necessary, via email and our website. We want to thank you in advance for your patience, understanding and partnership as we navigate this issue to ensure the safety and well-being of our haumāna, ‘ohana, staff and community.
‘O au iho nō me ke aloha nuʻukia ē,
M. Kāhealani Naeʻole-Wong
Poʻo Kula, Kamehameha Schools Hawaiʻi