Southeast Tennessee schools strategize against coronavirus outbreak

This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, orange, emerging from the surface of cells, green, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. The sample was isolated from a patient in the U.S. (NIAID-RML via AP) This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, orange, emerging from the surface of cells, green, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. The sample was isolated from a patient in the U.S. (NIAID-RML via AP)

By Ben Benton March 16, 2020 3 min read

For answers to frequently asked questions about the coronavirus, click here.

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As Gov. Bill Lee on Monday ordered all Tennessee school districts to close by Friday in response to the coronavirus, many school systems across rural Southeast Tennessee had already responded to the outbreak by canceling activities and closing schools for as long as two weeks, while others planned to use spring break to monitor the situation as it develops.

Several school systems called off classes for a week before or after spring break to give them two weeks. Schools in Hamilton County closed Monday and will remain so until at least April 13.

Bradley County and Cleveland City schools were on spring break March 6-10 and canceled classes over coronavirus concerns for this week, according to statements on the systems’ websites.