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School Shuts Doors as 64 Fall Ill
31 Oct
Summary
- Sixty-four students and staff fell ill with respiratory and stomach issues.
- School is closed for the week while crews sanitize the building.
- Health officials urge vaccinations and basic hygiene to curb spread.
Princeton Elementary School will remain closed through the end of the week following an outbreak of respiratory and stomach ailments that sickened 64 individuals, including 48 students and 16 staff members. School officials and the Prince George's County Health Department made the decision after illness reports surged.
Crews have initiated a thorough cleaning and sanitization of the school building, with a particular focus on high-touch surfaces. All in-person activities and after-school programs are canceled for the week. The school plans to reintroduce hygiene lessons and monitored handwashing practices before reopening.
Health experts, like Dr. Alexandra Yonts, highlight the contagious nature of the illness and the necessity of the closure to break the transmission cycle. She notes that young children's developing hygiene habits can facilitate germ spread, aligning with a national increase in influenza cases. Schools, with their shared spaces, are common environments for such outbreaks.
Parents are strongly encouraged to keep sick children home, monitor for symptoms, and ensure children are up-to-date on vaccinations, including flu and COVID-19 shots, to better protect against severe illness. Reinforcing basic hygiene practices such as covering coughs, blowing noses, and frequent handwashing is also emphasized.
