CHARLOTTESVILLE — If anyone needed convincing that the plain old flu poses a bigger health threat here at home than the COVID-19 coronavirus, Eastern Hancock schools are Exhibit A.
Citing an outbreak of influenza, strep and bronchitis that has driven absences as high as 20 percent of the student body, the district announced late Tuesday afternoon that school will be closed today (March 4). Students will go through their first e-learning day instead.
The decision affects all students.
Amanda Pyle, principal at Eastern Hancock Elementary School, sent an email Tuesday afternoon to parents. “We are experiencing very high absence and illness numbers due to bronchitis, strep, Influenza A and Influenza B,” she wrote, adding that school employees would use today to disinfect as many surfaces as they can.
All after-school activities were canceled except for the boys basketball sectional game at Hagerstown and the middle school county wrestling meet at New Palestine. All events for Wednesday are canceled as well.
