In response to a severe influenza outbreak, the Charleroi Area School District in Pennsylvania has moved to remote learning. The district made the decision after dozens of students and staff fell ill this week, including more than 80 elementary students who visited the nurse’s office in a single day. Of those, over 30 students went home, and some were hospitalized, according to KDKA, a local news outlet.
The district closed its elementary, middle, and high schools on Thursday, and will stay remote until Monday, hoping to curb the spread of the flu. “The turning point was when the elementary school nurse had called me yesterday and said she needed to see me immediately. That was approximately 10 a.m.,” said Superintendent Ed Zelich. “We just got our administrative team together and made a decision, and it was a tough decision,” he added. “But we know it was the right one to protect our students and staff.”
This flu outbreak is reportedly the worst witnessed in a decade with the district. Cooks and custodians have also been among those who went home sick this week. The decision to move to remote learning was reportedly made based on precedents set during the pandemic.
The move to virtual learning will be a challenge for the district, especially for families who rely on in-person school for childcare and meals. However, the district’s decision was necessary to address the severity of the flu outbreak and to protect students and staff.
The outbreak is a reminder of the ongoing challenges that school systems face in dealing with contagious illnesses. Schools across the country have been grappling with decisions about how to balance the risks of in-person learning with the benefits of in-person education.
Although there have been promising developments with regards to vaccines and treatments for COVID-19, flu outbreaks are a perennial issue for schools. This latest outbreak highlights the importance of being prepared and having procedures in place for dealing with infectious diseases.
In the meantime, the Charleroi Area School District will be working to minimize the impact of the flu outbreak by moving to virtual learning until Monday. The district is asking families to monitor their children’s health and to reach out to healthcare providers if they show any flu-like symptoms.
