The immediate health risk of COVID-19 is considered low for those in the U.S., but school districts are encouraged to consider the possibility of outbreaks in their communities, and devise plans for just such a reality.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that, for areas without a COVID-19 case, like Ohio and Kentucky, "the most important thing for schools to do now is plan and prepare," according to its website, which offered the guidance late last week.

For schools in communities with a case or cases, the CDC recommends school leaders consider canceling school while also working to continue children's education.

The superintendent of Newport Independent Schools said officials in the Campbell County district have been mulling solutions for that “worst-case scenario.”

Kelly Middleton told The Enquirer that if schools were forced to close, the district is considering the possibility of providing online classes to students.

Each student in the district already receives a laptop or iPad for regular school activities, Middleton said, and a new online program for a small portion of students has been successful to date.

Training teachers and ensuring all students have access to Wi-Fi could pose a challenge to the idea, Middleton said.

“There are a bunch of holes right now but we’re meeting and discussing this,” Middleton said. “The best time to fix a roof on a house is when it’s nice outside.”

Nearly one in three of households in the Newport district had no internet access at home, according to the most recent U.S. Census estimates, which is among the highest percentages in the region.

The district also recently purchased cleaning machines for about $16,000 in response to the COVID-19 threat.

Other Cincinnati area districts are also brainstorming efforts to minimize the effect of an outbreak, should one occur here.

Sycamore Community Schools recently provided an update to parents and guardians about COVID-19, reminding them of good hygiene practices. The district plans to release its "proactive plan" this week, which could have an impact on students traveling internationally on school-sponsored trips.

Mason City Schools sent a notice to families in late January, sharing that custodians clean and disinfect all desktops and "touch points" each night.

And families and staff members of Cincinnati Public Schools received a letter from the Cincinnati Health Department in early February with information about COVID-19.

COVID-19, the disease caused by a member of the coronavirus family that’s a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses, has been diagnosed in about 100 people in the U.S., with six deaths, according to USA TODAY.

There are more than 40 "domestic cases," mostly in California and Washington state, according to Vice President Mike Pence, and even more cases of people who came from other countries.

More than 3,100 people have died worldwide, according to a tracker operated by Johns Hopkins University.