Key Takeaways
- General Health for School Nutrition Programs
- Personal Hygiene for Employees
- Meal Preparation Areas
Many children in our state depend on the school setting to receive meals and our school nutrition programs are essential to address food insecurity in the community. Meals distributed during COVID-19 emergency-related school closures provide a lifeline to the state’s most vulnerable, economically disadvantaged children and families. The safety of school nutrition staff and others involved in providing meals for children is a top priority. Social distancing and other rules of personal hygiene are critical to minimize
the risk of exposure to both the staff and the children and families receiving meals.
To that end, the North Carolina State Board of Education (NCSBE) and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) are issuing the following guidelines that school districts and school nutrition employees must follow to ensure the health and safety of both school employees and children and families. It is important to note that each school district and local health department may have different or more stringent requirements, instructions, guidance and recommendations for staff involved in providing meals to children and families. These guidelines are not intended to supersede policies from local authorities. The more stringent policies, whether state or local, should be followed.
