By CUNEYT DIL and HOPE YEN Associated Press, and staff
UPDATE: Columbus confirms first coronavirus case
COLUMBUS – Schools are rushing to arrange grab-and-go lunch bags or set up delivery routes so that millions of students in Ohio and across the U.S. do not go without free lunches and breakfasts many of America’s poorest children receive at schools now closed due to the coronavirus.
The Ohio Department of Health call center is open 7 days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. to answer questions regarding COVID-19 at 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634).
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The outbreak has already temporarily closed schools in a growing list of states, including Ohio, Maryland, Michigan, Illinois, Virginia, Oregon, Washington, New Mexico and South Dakota. Cities from Los Angeles to Seattle to Washington, D.C., also announced public schools would shut down. Meanwhile, Congress may take action to waive regulations nationwide to make it easier for school meals to be distributed at more sites.
Columbus City Schools, the largest district in the state, will be closed from Monday, March 16, through Friday, April 3, but will offer free meals for all children age 18 and under whether they attend classes in the district or not.
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The grab-and-go meals will be available at 13 schools and children will also be able to pick up lunch at breakfast, or pick up the next day’s breakfast at lunch.
Beginning on Monday, the Dublin City Schools will make grab-and-go breakfasts and lunches available to any student at Dublin Scioto and Riverside Elementary schools from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved two requests from the DeWine administration for waivers to continue school breakfast and lunch programs during the school closures Gov. Mike DeWine ordered this week.
Schools will be permitted to provide every child under 18 with grab-and-go meals and the state Department of Education will develop a home-delivery system.