Following concerns of norovirus and viral gastroenteritis in the West Grand School District, the district has decided to cancel school on Monday, November 25 and Tuesday, November 26 for grades K-12. The pre-school will also cancel classes. This is the two days before the scheduled break for Thanksgiving allowing students and staff to have a full week away from school.
According to West Grand Superintendent Darrin Peppard, the decision follows the absences of his teachers and a high percentage of students. His hope is it will allow everyone to get healthy and for the schools to be properly sanitized and disinfected.
Other schools across the state and nation have also experienced the illness and have cancelled school because of it. In Colorado, Mesa County District 51 made headlines for its school closures earlier this week.
Grand County Public Health noted the “stomach flu” is not associated with the influenza virus is higlhty contagious and its incubation period can be from 12 hours to 3 days. It is spread person to person and by touching contaminated surfaces or inhalation of fecal particles from an infected person.
Signs and symptoms include: low-grade fever, vomiting, body aches, abdominal cramps, nausea, diarrhea and headache.
Grand County Public Health encourages anyone with these symptoms to stay home until they are at least 24 hours without symptoms. They also stress to avoid exposure by proper hand washing and sanitizing surfaces.
