MEDFORD, Mass. — A Massachusetts elementary school is closed on Thursday after a norovirus outbreak sickened more than 100 students and staff, prompting a full-scale cleaning effort to stop the spread.
Officials at the Roberts Elementary School in Medford say 130 students out of 600 were absent on Wednesday, and about a dozen more students and staff went home sick during the day.
“[The principal] had 127 students call in sick,” she said. “Out of that number, 75 parents reported that their child was sick, had stomach issues, and maybe some vomiting,” Superintendent Suzanne B. Galusi said.
Norovirus is highly contagious and often causes sudden symptoms such as vomiting, according to the CDC.
The virus is also notoriously hard to kill — it’s resistant to water, hand sanitizer, and even soap — making thorough disinfection critical, Tufts Medicine Chief Infection Control Officer Dr. Shira Doron told Boston 25.
The building will now undergo a professional deep cleaning.
“Out of an abundance of caution to make sure we are doing what we can to keep our students and staff healthy, that’s why we decided to do this — especially around the holiday time to stop the spread,” Galusi explained.
Galusi also noted that no other schools in the district saw a similar spike in absences.
The Medford Board of Health will also examine Roberts Elementary School‘s cafeteria equipment to rule out any other potential causes.
Families are being urged to keep children home until at least 1 day after symptoms such as vomiting have stopped to prevent further spread.
Galusi said officials are confident students will return to the classroom on Friday and that a plan will be drafted alongside the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to make up the lost school day.
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