On Oct. 7, Miami Palmetto Senior High School students returned to in-person school. With the risk of COVID-19, both students and staff need to take extra safety precautions to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Watch Palmetto’s TVP Back to Building Procedures Video

The Palmetto’s student activities account (@mpshactivities on Instagram) posted a video explaining the new building procedures. The video explains changes in the staircases, hallways, lunch and bathrooms. Watch the video here.

Keep Your Hands Clean

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that the regular washing of hands is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Bethany Deferrari, a sophomore at Palmetto, plans on keeping a bottle of hand sanitizer with her to make sure her hands are always clean. 

“I’ve packed my bag with a bottle of hand sanitizer, I’m going to apply it before and after each of my classes,” Deferrari said. 

Wear Your Mask

COVID-19 spreads through droplets in the air, wearing a mask can block these droplets by up to 95%. To ensure one is wearing their mask correctly, make sure it covers both the nose and mouth. Masks are mandatory at Palmetto for the entire school day in order to stop the spread.

Change Classroom Habits

On Wednesday, students began returning to school physically. School differs greatly from what students experienced last time they attended in-person classes. Classroom changes are being made to keep teachers and students safe. Teachers especially need to make extra efforts to keep themselves and their students safe. Marcos Cohen, a teacher at Palmetto, plans on changing how his classroom functions.

“I will have a clear shower curtain that exists between me and the students. I will have hand sanitizer available to all students and students will wipe down their desks before and after the class,” Cohen said.

Making these changes to classroom habits will hopefully make school safer for staff and students.

Social Distance

The return to on-campus schooling does not mean the end of social distancing. Try to stay six feet away from anyone one comes in contact with and do not create groups in the courtyard. In class, sit far away from nearby peers. During lunch, sit as far as possible from others. By maximizing the space between people, the risk of spreading COVID-19 decreases.

When returning to school, one must try their best to take these precautions to make sure Palmetto students may remain safe on campus and reduce the spread of COVID-19.