Simon Albaugh
As of Monday, the response to the Coronavirus outbreak in Michigan has reached nearly every aspect of the state’s economy, institutions and social practices. By 3:00pm, most bars and restaurants should have closed to the public. Churches, Mosques and other religious institutions will close their doors to worship. And schools will be empty for the foreseeable future.
In this moment, there are currently 53 confirmed cases of the Novel Coronavirus in Michigan. Those most susceptible to harsh symptoms of the virus are the elderly, and people with pre-existing medical conditions. While a Press Conference with Donald Trump revealed that many people, especially those who are young and healthy, may contract the virus without experiencing any symptoms.
Still, those people who are without symptoms, or asymptomatic, may be at risk of spreading the virus to those who may be more vulnerable to the symptoms of the virus.
Michigan may be among the strongest responders to their outbreak. After releasing the information of the state’s first confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the late evening of the state’s primary election polling, Governor Whitmer has forced bars and restaurants to close until the crisis is manageable.
Governor Whitmer’s office has also threatened to revoke the liquor licenses of restaurants and bars, among other enforcement tactics, that do not follow the laws put in place as a result of the outbreak.
Throughout the first day of Michigan’s COVID-19 outbreak, schools and Universities across the State considered the risks of shutting down their schools and institutions. The first School District in Wayne County to announce the closure of schools ahead of Governor Whitmer’s Executive Order was Hamtramck Public Schools, led by Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed.
“Forecasting and understanding the situation at hand, I felt it was critical to close the district that Friday,” said Superintendent Ahmed. “Having no school on Friday would give students and their family peace of mind while the staff prepares for what was yet to come. That was the right thing to do and it did give people some peace until more guidance was shared.”
For students living in Hamtramck, the closure didn’t necessarily mean a break from school. Teachers throughout the district were instructed to prepare instructional materials called Learning Never Stops! Academic Learning Packets. However, the move to online instruction, Superintendent Ahmed pointed out, wasn’t a feasible option for the district’s high rate of families living in poverty.
As of this morning, a community member connected to the Tau Beta Elementary School has possibly contracted the virus. Although, this is an unconfirmed case and the results of testing may reveal that their illness may not be connected to the Novel Coronavirus.
Regardless of cases, all buildings will be closed for 72 hours at some point for cleaning. Superintendent Ahmed has stated that the company the School District uses will remain up to date on all the cleaning products that the Center for Disease Control recommends for this outbreak.
For those looking for updates from the Hamtramck Public School District on the Coronavirus Outbreak, the Hamtramck Public Schools website, and the Hamtramck School District Facebook page will offer up-to-date information.
This is an evolving situation, with many risks at stake. Many of the biggest concerns like the length of school closure, instruction during an extended public health crisis, and childcare during the time of the outbreak have not been worked out by the State of Michigan Government. The Hamtramck Public School District is still waiting for many of these issues to be announced at the state level.
The community, state, nation and the entire world is dealing with the coronavirus and there are a lot of unknowns, this pandemic is a serious situation. It requires us to come together to understand the facts and exercise preventative measures. It is a fluid situation, information is evolving constantly, the reality of a couple of hours can vary drastically. It is these trying times that will bring communities together. As a district leader, it is imperative that the safety and well-being of all members of the district remains our priority. I commend my team who are demonstrating their true leadership qualities as we come together to devise contingency plans, work endless hours, and be proactive. We are grateful for the outpouring support from community members, staff, and even people in other cities who want are offering to volunteer to make this situation as normal as possible for everyone. We will get through this together.
Meals will still be provided for students throughout the district. Starting Tuesday, Mar. 17, students will be able to go to designated locations throughout Hamtramck in order to pick up free breakfast and lunch. Designated locations are outlined in the HPS announcement shown.
