Hilliard, all other Ohio K-12 schools to close as part of public health response to COVID-19

Illustration: CDC / Alissa Eckert, MS; Dan Higgins, MAMS

Update (04/23/20): Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Monday, April 20, extended the closure of Ohio's K-12 schools through the end of the 2019-2020 school year.

Update (03/30/20): Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine today extended the closure of Ohio's K-12 schools through Friday, May 1.

Hilliard City Schools will be closed from Monday, March 16, through Friday, April 3, as a result of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine's decision to order the state's kindergarten through twelfth grade schools shut down for a period of at least three weeks in response to the evolving coronavirus public health emergency.

Athletic and extra-curricular activities in Hilliard – including those taking place today (March 13) – are also canceled through April 3, the district said in its statement announcing the closure.

"We thought long and hard about [closing schools], and we understand the sacrifice this is going to entail," Mr. DeWine said during a press conference yesterday afternoon, per the Columbus Dispatch, "but this is the best medical advice we can get from people who study viruses."

Mr. DeWine's order does not require schools to close until after school concludes on Monday, but Hilliard chose to close to students for all of that day, as well. Child-care facilities are not impacted by the governor's order, the Columbus Dispatch reports. However, Hilliard's SACC program will be closed, according to the district.

Coronavirus disease 2019, or "COVID-19" for short, is a respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus named SARS-CoV-2. COVID-19 has been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "the best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus." You should wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds with soap and water, avoid touching your face, and disinfect surfaces frequently. You should also practice "social distancing", i.e., avoiding close contact with other people in order to stop the spread of the virus.

Originally published 03/13/20. Updated 03/30/20 and 04/23/20.