Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ (M-DCPS) number one priority is always the safety and wellbeing of students and staff. Through ongoing site assessments by the District’s environmental inspectors, every precaution is being taken to ensure that schools across the District are safe and free from conditions that may further heighten the spread of Zika.
A comprehensive communication strategy continues to be utilized to notify students, parents and employees of these important developments via emails, automated telephone calls, and social media. District staff has been in frequent communication with the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) officials for the most recent information and guidelines.
The best form of prevention is protection. Parents of students in the Zika-identified zones have been urged to take steps to guard their children against mosquito-borne illnesses. It is recommended that before children leave home, they dress in long-sleeved shirts and long pants. School uniform policies, in the identified schools, have been relaxed temporarily to give parents flexibility in clothing options for students.
FDOH and the CDC recommend applying mosquito repellent to bare skin and clothing. Repellent should be applied at home as school employees are prohibited from applying it on students in school. Parents should consult their family doctor or health care provider before using any type of insect repellant. Parents needing repellent may contact the local Florida health department at 305-324-2400.