MERCER COUNTY, WV (WOAY) – “Due to recent influenza cases, Mercer County Schools has taken extra steps to monitor attendance. Currently, absences have been higher in some areas than in other areas, and there are some schools where there are more cases of influenza.
As a result, we have been in contact with the Mercer County Health Department. Their advice, based on a directive from the West Virginia Bureau of Public Health, was to not close our schools as long as there was adequate supervision of students. Based on this recommendation, we will continue to monitor the attendance of students and staff.
Furthermore, to clean we are using an aerosol disinfectant cleaner, hard surface disinfectant wipes and disinfectant foggers. These products meet the EPA Efficacy Standards for hospital disinfectants.
We are also encouraging all parents/guardians to keep their child/children at home if they are exhibiting flu-like symptoms. During the school day, if a child becomes ill, schools are calling parents and requesting the parent to come and take their child home. As announced yesterday, all incentive and reward programs have been suspended through the end of February. Suspensions of these programs will benefit all students and hopefully, help parents in making decisions as to whether or not to send their child to school.
As we move forward, we will continue to monitor influenza cases in our schools.”
