Oakland County to Staff Schools With Nurses to Prevent COVID-19

The “Oakland Together School Nurse Initiative” will add nursing professionals to educate staff and students about how to prevent COVID-19.

A new Oakland County initiative will aim to add on-site nurses for local schools to educate staff and students – and how to avoid the spread of COVID-19.

The “Oakland Together School Nurse Initiative” is meant to support districts concerned about safely starting the school year this fall. 

“I’m old enough to remember where there was a nurse in every school.” — Dave Coulter, Oakland County Executive

Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter says having health professionals on campuses is long overdue. 

“Educators due great work but they’re not public health people,” Coulter says. “Oakland County could help support the tremendous responsibility they’re going to have in getting our schools back up by supplying them with nurses.”

The staffing is temporary through December. Coulter says budgetary issues has prevented schools from creating permanent nursing positions. 

“I’m old enough to remember where there was a nurse in every school,” Coulter says. “I know that’s a financial thing but especially when we’re fighting a pandemic like the coronavirus, there’s no more important time to get these nurses back in the schools.”

Coulter says there is a possibility of a second wave of COVID-19 so adding nurses to help educators is a preventive measure.

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Author

  • Tia Graham
    Tia Graham is a reporter and Weekend Edition Host for 101.9 WDET. She graduated from Michigan State University where she had the unique privilege of covering former President Barack Obama and his trip to Lansing in 2014.