• A coronavirus causes diseases ranging from the common cold to more serious respiratory illness. 
• The COVID-19 virus is a new strain which has a more severe impact in terms of respiratory illness, with fever, cough and difficulty breathing. 
• There is currently no vaccine for COVID-19, but there is a vaccine for seasonal flu, which is recommended for all people over the age of 6 months. 
• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people get infected with a coronavirus at some point in their lives.

• Be aware of symptoms of illness and stay home if you are not feeling well.
• Follow best practices for prevention of the spread of viruses, including COVID- 19 and the common cold or flu: wash hands frequently; do not touch eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands; cover mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing; and get a flu shot.
• Ensure contact information is up-to-date in the event that large group notifications are sent by phone, email, and text message.
• Keep yourself up-to-date on what the Maricopa County Health Department, the Arizona Department of Health Services and the Centers for Disease Control suggest.
• Be personally prepared: 
  • Make sure you have a supply of all essential medications for your family.
  • Make a childcare plan in case you or a caregiver become sick.
  • Make arrangements about how your family would manage if there is a school closure.
  • Make a plan for how you can care for a sick family member without getting sick yourself.

The CDC recommends taking the same measures you would do to prevent getting or spreading the common flu. These include:

• Regularly wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or, if unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are approved for student and staff use.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Cover your sneeze or cough with a tissue, then immediately dispose of the tissue. If tissues are unavailable, cough or sneeze into the inside of your elbow, then wash your hands.
• Stay up-to-date with the flu vaccine and all other vaccinations.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home if you are sick and do not return to work or school until your temperature is below 100 degrees, without the use of fever-reducing medication, for at least 24 hours.

For individual health concerns, please contact your healthcare provider or call the designated Coronavirus Hotline at 1-844-542-8201.