Bath County Schools Closed Due To Illnesses

WARM SPRINGS — Bath County schools are closed today and Wednesday as an increasing number of students and staff are out of school due to illnesses.
In a letter to parents, Superintendent Sue Hirsh said students absences have increased in recent days due to illnesses.

Absences increased from 107 on Friday, to 187 on Monday, representing 35 percent of the 537 pre-K-12 th grade students in Bath County schools.?  
“Not all are confirmed cases of influenza,” said Hirsh, in a letter she sent to parents on Monday.
Hirsh said her office has been in contact with the Central Shenandoah Health Department to decide the best course of action to take.
“All things considered — student absences, school personnel absences, and the difficulty in adequately staffing all schools, all division schools will be closed for two days, January 28 and January 29,” the  superintendent said.
Hirst said school officials have taken additional steps to sanitize schools over the past week. All classroom surfaces, including lockers, desktops, door handles, seats and manipulatives have been wiped down “with an appropriate disinfectant.”
Cafeterias and restrooms  have undergone additional cleaning and soap dispensers have been filled and maintained. Disinfectant bombs in locker rooms have been used at night, she said.
“The next two days will allow additional deep cleaning of buildings and school buses,” Hirsh said.
Parents are being urged to teach their children good hygiene practices by encouraging them to exercise good hand and cough hygiene.
“This includes covering coughs and sneezes with tissues, coughing and sneezing into the inside of the elbow and discarding tissues properly,” the superintendent said.
She said hands should be washed frequently with soap  and water for about 20 seconds. If hands are not visibly soiled, hand sanitizers containing at least 60 percent alcohol are also effective.
“Monitor yourself and your children for flu-like symptoms,” Hirsh said in the letter to parents.
Symptoms include:
— High fevers.
— Chills.
— Cough.
— Soar throat.
— Nausea.
— Vomiting.
— Diarrhea.
— Aches.
— Fatigue.
“It is important that children stay home for at least 24 hours after resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medicines, such as Tylenol. The flu vaccine is still available to protect yourself and your children,” Hirsh said.
All sports-related activities, including games and practices, are also off.
Makeup dates for postponed games have not been set. A girls basketball game at Roanoke Catholic will not be rescheduled.