As students across the state start spring break today, the state Health Department is urging that public events of 100-plus people be called off and that families try to minimize their risk of contracting the new coronavirus.

Health Director Bruce Anderson said Friday there are no immediate plans to close public schools beyond the weeklong holiday, but the situation is evolving rapidly.

“At this point in time we are not contemplating closing any schools,” Anderson said. “At the same time we are recommending that people avoid large events, and that applies to children as well.”

Other districts that have shut schools are “typically in areas where you have a lot of transmission in the communities,” he said, which is not the case in the islands. So far, Hawaii has just two confirmed cases of COVID-19, both acquired elsewhere.

Early results of the Health Department’s new random statewide testing for COVID-19 show no evidence of community transmission. The first batch of 31 samples collected from physician’s offices all came back negative for the disease late Friday.

That surveillance program is separate from tests of severely ill patients with travel risk of coronavirus, which previously revealed the two positive cases out of roughly 40 tests as of Friday, Anderson said. Those two patients were a former cruise ship passenger and man in his 90s who had visited Washington state.

Anderson said the potential for person-to-person transmission “exponentially increases” during spring vacation when many families head out to crowded places.

“We know that traditionally spring break is a time when families go on trips or spend more time at the malls, theaters, restaurants and other places where the public gathers,” Anderson said. “We are urging families to be circumspect and exercise extra precautions to minimize the risks of COVID-19 transmission.”

The Health Department is recommending the postponement or cancellation of events that bring together 100-plus people, including sports, concerts and conferences. It recommends “social distancing” at other gatherings or holding them virtually.

“When possible, attendees should be no fewer than two arms length or six feet apart,” it said in an update.

School officials say it is always a tough call to shut down public schools. Unlike universities, they can’t easily switch to online instruction since some children lack access to computers and the internet at home. Students depend on school not just for their education, but for subsidized school lunch and specialized services for students with disabilities.

Many children have working parents who may not be able to stay home to take care of them. And if health care workers opt to stay home for their kids, that can adversely affect that vital work force.

“This is a risk-benefit situation,” Anderson said. “The benefits of having children in the school are considerable, and the risks are manageable, I think, as long as we don’t lose sight of the fact that we need to avoid unnecessary transmission. This may change in weeks to come.”

“Obviously, if you close a school, you’ve got child care issues and other issues out there, and kids can get exposed easily as well in the mall or wherever they end up,” he said. “So there are a lot of pros and cons associated with school closure that we are looking at.”

As of Friday evening 14 states and the District of Columbia have announced plans to close schools statewide, according to Education Week, which is tracking the impact of the coronavirus at edweek.org.

Late Thursday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued updated guidelines for states outlining a measured approach to school closure, depending on the extent of the coronavirus’ spread in the community.

If a case is confirmed on campus, it recommends shutting down the school building for three to five days while the situation is assessed. If community spread of the disease is considered minimal or moderate, it recommends “social distancing” strategies for gatherings, classrooms and movement through the school.

If community spread is substantial, it calls for “extended school dismissals” with the duration and scope of the shutdown made on a case-by-case basis, it said.

State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park said data shows those most at risk are primarily older people and those with underlying illness.

“There is a remaining big question of, What about the kids?” Park said. “The data is showing they have mild illness. But the real question is, Are they actually getting the disease, and are they actually a driver of the disease? We don’t know that. CDC doesn’t know that.”

She said that the surveillance program that Hawaii is conducting could help lead to better recommendations for the state and the nation on how to protect everyone because it is sampling across age groups to track the disease.

Only a tiny fraction — 2.1% — of the 44,672 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in China through Feb. 11 were in children from birth through age 19, according to a Feb. 17 analysis by the China Center for Disease Control. There were no deaths reported for children under 10 and one death in the 10-to-19 age group out of 1,023 deaths overall at that point in time. The study was titled “Epidemiological Characteristics of an Outbreak of 2019 Novel Coronavirus Diseases (COVID-19) — China, 2020.”

Schools Superintendent Christina Kishimoto said the district is working closely with the Health Department and will follow its pandemic response plan.

“If school closures are necessary, they will be part of a coordinated effort with the governor’s office and other state, public and private partners under the guidance of the Hawaii Department of Health,” Kishi­moto said. “We will provide as much advance notice as possible so that families can make the necessary plans and preparations.”