Close to 91,000 public and private schools have been closed throughout the nation to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. Maryland, like Virginia and Washington DC, has banned all in-person instruction for the rest of the 2019-2020 academic year, with many moving to a distance-learning format.
The COVID-19 impact on education has been devastating, but scientists caution against the hasty reopening of schools after research suggests that children and teenagers could be just as infectious as adults. While children are often asymptomatic, those infected with coronavirus can be highly contagious. If educational restrictions are lifted too soon, researchers worry that schools could act as hubs for transmitting the respiratory virus.
School closures through the 2019-2020 year
At present, there is little consensus about the factors and benchmarks that should prompt the reopening of U.S. schools. Health authorities say that school districts should prepare for intermittent waves of the virus that will cause future disruptions and additional periods of social distancing and school closures.
State-mandated closures mean that many educational institutions will be vulnerable to theft, vandalism, and other crimes.
Effective security measures for educational institutions
Schools that are closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic can improve campus security by:
- Building a secure perimeter that limits access routes to the premises
- Implementing strict key control procedures that restrict the number of personnel with keys
- Limiting the number of entrances to campus buildings, and ensuring all outside doors are locked and alarmed
- Using video intercoms to better control and identify who enters and leaves the campus
- Installing security cameras in visible locations to monitor areas and deter break-ins, vandalism, and crime
Improve campus security with video surveillance
It’s a proven fact that criminals look for the easiest targets: Empty or low-traffic properties with no alarms or security systems. Visible cameras are an effective means of preventing break-ins and protecting school property while staff and students are sheltering in place.
Security cameras, in addition to alarms, discourage unwanted visitors and trespassers from entering campus grounds. With wireless surveillance, schools, colleges, and universities can be proactive with campus safety and keep tabs on suspicious activity in real time. Video feeds can be viewed remotely from a computer, tablet, or smartphone.
At Maryland Security Professionals, we design, install, and maintain surveillance systems for educational institutions of all sizes. Our commercial security camera systems are designed from the ground up and customized according to client needs and goals. We can upgrade an existing set-up or start from scratch, providing your campus with an effective yet affordable security solution during the coronavirus pandemic.
Security cameras discourage intrusions and malicious activity on empty school campuses, but they also serve as investigators. High-definition cameras with infrared technology record it all, making it much easier to identify and charge suspects. Law enforcement use surveillance footage to investigate break-ins, property damage, and theft.
Affordable security solutions for Mid-Atlantic schools
Given the public health situation and timeline uncertainty, many schools and colleges are planning online learning sessions for the fall semester. As contingency plans are being developed, so too should security strategies for extended school closures.
Contact Maryland Security Professionals to learn more about our high-performance commercial security camera systems for schools throughout the mid-Atlantic region.
Additional Resources:
- CNN, Schools should be ready for phased reopening, future closures, pediatrics group says https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/05/health/schools-reopen-coronavirus-pediatrics-wellness/index.html
- The Guardian, Coronavirus: scientists caution against reopening schools https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/30/coronavirus-scientists-caution-against-reopening-schools