South Brunswick High School Goes Virtual After COVID 'Outbreak'

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — South Brunswick High School will go virtual for the remainder of the week after a reported spike in COVID-19 cases, the school district announced Tuesday evening.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 21, 21 positive cases were reported. In the past five days, a total of 51 positive cases were reported and school authorities said "they are growing hourly."

"This is considered an outbreak and while we have cases in our other schools, this is where the outbreak is and what we have been authorized to do as far as closure," Superintendent Scott Feder said in a letter. "We have now been advised to close the high school for the remainder of the week to help mitigate the spread."

The school district has also canceled all in-person after-school activities or sports for the week. Feder also reminded parents to report all COVID-19 positive cases that occur in the next few days or over the break.

Meanwhile, the South Brunswick Office of Emergency Management (OEM) has asked residents to "be prepared" as the omicron variant spreads in New Jersey. The CDC says Omicron already accounts for about 75 percent of new cases in the U.S., and national health officials believe cases will dramatically increase over the next month.

“We want people to be prepared, not panicked,” OEM Director Police Chief Raymond Hayducka said. “We are not back in March of 2020 and starting all over again. We know more and can do more this time. We need to take reasonable precautions in the coming days to minimize the impact of the Omicron,” he said.

With COVID-19 cases in New Jersey on the rise, many schools have shifted to virtual learning this week. Read More: NJ Schools Go Remote Amid Pre-Holiday COVID Spike

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