The Houston Independent School District is providing one location online where updates and information regarding Coronavirus will be posted. The website (HoustonISD.org/HealthAlerts) will be updated as needed to provide the most current resources, including a parent fact sheet, FAQs, and links from supporting health agencies.  

HISD is in contact with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Texas Department of Health and Human Services and Houston Health Department and continues to monitor information on Coronavirus (COVID-19) to ensure all students and staff members are safe and updated with the latest information.  

As always, prevention is the strongest defense against viral infections. To prevent infectious diseases and viruses, here are some guidelines and recommendations to follow at home and at school:  

• Practice good hygiene  
• Wash hands with soap and water frequently, for at least 20 seconds  
• Use alcohol-based sanitizers when soap and water are not available  
• Use disposable tissues when coughing and sneezing; dispose of carefully and promptly  
• If tissues are not available, direct your cough or sneeze into the crook of your arm/sleeve
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands 
• Clean and disinfect “high-touch” objects and surfaces  
• High-touch surfaces include, desktops, doorknobs, restroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets and community-use items (scissors, markers, etc.)
• Stay home when you are sick, and remain home until fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication  
• Avoid close contact with anyone who has cold or flu-like symptoms 
• Maintain healthy habits that support your immune system (exercise, get enough rest, eat a healthy diet)  

As part of HISD’s effort to ensure campuses and facilities are safe and healthy, trained staff routinely are monitoring individuals who exhibit fever, cough, and shortness of breath and are following appropriate assessment and monitoring protocols for students and staff who report feeling ill.  

The district is continuing to follow its standard procedure for routine cleaning and disinfection of schools, with special emphasis placed on disinfection of door handles and other frequently touched areas. Custodial teams also are making sure all schools and buildings are properly stocked with needed supplies, including soap and paper towels. Facilities, Maintenance, and Operations is working to ensure all other cleaning agents used in district schools, facilities, and vehicles contain the suggested concentration of disinfectant as outlined by the American Chemistry Council Center for Biocide Chemistries.  

Transportation Services also is preparing to enhance daily bus-cleaning efforts with the addition of interior sanitization, a practice often implemented by the department during cold and flu season. Plans call for buses to be sanitized with disinfecting wipes after routes are completed each day and again on the weekend, as a precautionary measure.