North Andover Schools To Close For Two Weeks: Coronavirus In MA

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — North Andover Public Schools will close for the next two weeks, Superintendent Gregg GIlligan announced Friday. Two days of instruction will be provided through Beyond The Classroom, to meet state requirements. Additional enrichment activities will be provided by the district.

Administrators will be available at school offices 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday and Tuesday for families who need to pick up belongings or essentials from the nurse. Food Services is working on lunch alternatives for students who receive free or reduced lunch.

The closure may be lengthened. All extra-curricular activities and other building uses are also canceled.

The full announcement is available here.

Gilligan encouraged residents to take part in a broader social distancing impact to reduce the spread of the virus.

"Town Health officials emphasize that closing our schools are only a part of the broader solution to prevent community spread of this virus," Gilligan said. "If students and families continue to meet together in groups outside of school, this closure will not have the desired impact. It is critical that students and families refrain from meeting in large groups and to practice social distancing as recommended by the CDC."

Families who need support are encouraged to contact their school principal or the central office.

The town also announced a number of closures Friday, including the Library, Senior Center and Youth Center, for the same period.

>>Coronavirus School Closings In MA: List
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Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called COVID-19, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now transferring from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 it and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.