BRIDGEWATER, MASS. (WHDH) - A class of fourth-grade students in Bridgewater has been sent home to quarantine after a cluster of positive COVID-19 cases emerged this week.
Twenty-seven students and a teacher at the Williams Intermediate School were told to stay home Thursday after 13 children learned they had tested positive for the virus.
“The decision was made to quarantine the entire class beginning tomorrow, Thursday, September 16th for the remainder of the week,” Principal Matthew Clark said in a letter to the school community.
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School officials say the outbreak started with a single student who stayed home sick on Monday and later tested positive.
“As we started to test more students in that classroom yesterday, they just started coming back positive after positive,” Assistant Superintendent Ryan Powers said.
Some parents expressed concern with the outbreak, while others credited the school with taking swift action to contain it.
“I would have been freaked out a year ago…I would have been freaked out when it all started,” one parent said. “I’m still worried about it but what can we do?”
None of the students in the classroom with the outbreak are seriously sick. Most have reported mild or no symptoms.
The students who have tested positive will be required to follow the guidance provided by school officials on when they can return to the classroom.
All other students who remain symptom-free are eligible to return to school on Sept. 23 if they receive a negative COVID-19 test by Monday. Students who don’t undergo a test must remain at home until Sept. 27.
All of the students affected by the outbreak will learn remotely while the rest of the school will continue to take part in in-person learning.
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