Lincoln-Way Cancels Senior Citizen Breakfast Due To Coronavirus

NEW LENOX, IL — Lincoln-Way District 210 has decided to cancel the senior citizen breakfast with the superintendent which was planned for Friday. The school said the decision is a proactive approach and made at the recommendation of the Illinois State Board of Education in the wake of the global coronavirus crisis.

The district said the Illinois State Board of Education is monitoring this evolving global health crisis and is working closely with the Illinois Department of Public Health, Illinois Emergency Management Agency, the Governor’s Office, the General Assembly, and stakeholders to address all education issues related to the virus.

Coronavirus In Illinois: March 11 Update

South Side Irish Parade Canceled Due To Coronavirus

Don't miss updates about precautions in the New Lenox area as they are announced. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters.

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called SARS-Cov-2, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19, the illness caused by SARS-Cov-2, struck the U.S. on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now being spread from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands, to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.