Wilmington Schools To Close For Two Weeks: Coronavirus In MA

WILMINGTON, MA — Wilmington Public Schools will close for a minimum of two weeks, Monday, March 16 through Friday, March 27. Superintendent Glenn Brand announced that the district had decided along with the rest of the Merrimack Valley Superintendents Association to close in attempt to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. The schools will not be open to staff or the public until further notice.

"As you are aware, there continues to be considerable discussions and developments regarding the ongoing situation related to the Coronavirus," Brand said. "School districts are considering efforts to try and maintain the health and well-being of students and staff and mitigate the possibility of community spread."

"This clearly represents unprecedented times and creates a challenging situation for everyone. It is understood that this decision will impose a hardship on families that do not have childcare options. However, please know that the decision to close our schools is being taken very seriously in order to exercise an abundance of caution for our Wilmington community," he continued.

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The district leadership will met next week to discuss next steps, Brand said. Anyone with a pressing need to pick up medications should contact Doreen Crowe, coordinator of nursing services, at doreen.crowe@wpsk12.com.

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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.