The Smithville and Elgin school districts have suspended school-related travel outside of the Austin area, while the Bastrop school district has suspended district-sponsored travel outside of the state but will continue with ongoing plans for school-related travel within Texas.

All three school districts said no cases of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, have been reported in their districts.

The Smithville and Elgin school districts said on Thursday that out of an abundance of caution they have canceled all school-related travel outside of the Austin area, including field trips, non-UIL sponsored activities, and staff training and conferences until further notice.

Both districts said they are following guidance from the UIL regarding participation in its events and tournaments. As of Thursday, all UIL state events, including the boys state basketball tournament, had been suspended, the districts said.

The Bastrop school district on Wednesday suspended district-sponsored out-of-state travel effective immediately. However, district-sponsored events and travel within the state will continue as planned, though the district is monitoring conditions across the state and will communicate any changes to its plans.

"Our priority is the health and safety of our students, staff and our community," the Bastrop district said in a statement Wednesday. "We are asking everyone to take extra precautions in your daily life and when traveling over spring break."

The district said its custodial contractor will perform a deeper cleaning at all campuses during spring break, scheduled from March 16-20, using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-recommended disinfectant Virex.

The Smithville district said that every school and school bus will undergo cleaning and disinfection over spring break using an electrostatic cleaner as well as a commercial-grade disinfectant. Smithville’s spring break also is scheduled March 16-20

The Elgin district said its custodians are routinely cleaning and disinfecting frequently-touched objects and surfaces with hospital-grade disinfectant.

’We do not have a local epidemic’

Bastrop County Judge Paul Pape on Thursday cautioned "elderly folks" and residents with compromised immune systems to avoid crowds and stay at home for the next few weeks until the coronavirus pandemic tempers down.

"Although we do not have a local epidemic", Pape said, the less exposure vulnerable residents have to others, the better their chances are to not contracting the coronavirus.

"We are working to be prepared for the worst, even as we hope for and pray for the best," Pape said in a statement.

"As grandmother often said, ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’" he said. "So, exercise good judgement and good personal hygiene as we fight this challenge together."

Pape told the Advertiser on Thursday that no cases of coronavirus had been reported in Bastrop County.

When asked if hospitals in Bastrop County are prepared to treat residents who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, he said he has been in constant communication with Dr. Desmar Walkes, Bastrop County’s health authority, and suspects the local hospitals are prepared to intake people who believe they might have the virus or are experiencing symptoms associated with it. He said residents who test positive for the virus likely will be taken to medical facilities in Austin.

Pape is requesting that any resident who suspects they might have contracted the virus or is experiencing symptoms associated with the virus to call their primary health care provider or the hospital before arriving to give medical personnel an opportunity to prepare for their arrival.

"I want people to be informed but not frightened," Pape said. "The more we know about the virus and how it spreads and how to control its spread, the better we’ll all be.

"Although this virus is new in and of itself, the corona-type viruses are not new — like SARS and MERS — we’ve seen them before and we have a history of how these pandemics and epidemics go and we just need to realize that this will pass. And it will pass when we all use good personal hygiene and when we stay away from those that are affected; and if you’re affected, isolate yourself."

Pape said he participated on Thursday in an hour-long conference call with Gov. Greg Abbott, state Health Services Director Dr. John Hellerstedt, state Emergency Management Director Nim Kidd, Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morass and several county judges and mayors from across the state to discuss the coronavirus. He said Abbott’s message is that the state is steadily and calmly addressing the virus, with public health and safety as priority No. 1.

He said local emergency management teams are reviewing incident response protocols and checking on availability of response and care supplies. The county is also reviewing its continuity of operations plans to ensure essential governmental services will remain available in any situation.

"At this time, our primary objective is to slow the spread of the virus, particularly to at-risk populations," Pape said. "Anecdotal evidence is that the elderly and those with compromised immune systems are most susceptible to the virus. Everything we do should be to slow the spread of the virus to these people."