Newton School Cleaned After Parent's Presumptive Positive Coronavirus Test
NEWTON (CBS) -- Before the doors opened at Horace Mann Elementary School in Newton Monday morning, the school underwent a deep cleaning amid coronavirus fears. The cleaning made parents feel a little more at ease as they dropped their kids off at school.
"It does. It's still concerning obviously, I'm scared. I hope no one else was in the area of the kid whose parents had it," parent Kaitlin Larson said. "It's wild that it's at this school."
The school sent an email Sunday alerting families that a parent at the school is a presumptive positive for COVID-19 and though the student is not showing any symptoms, they will self-quarantine at home until further notice.
Parents of Weston Middle School, Bedford High School, and Lexington's Bowman Elementary School were all notified of a similar situation.
Custodians are disinfecting everything from the cafeterias, classrooms, and bathrooms to the hallways, railings, and doorknobs. They are making sure all soap and hand sanitizer is fully stocked.
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"I tell them that hygiene is number one," one parent said.
"I just told them to wash their hands always with soap and water," Larson explained.
But some parents feel there is not much more they can do.
"I was kind of nervous last night but then when I was watching the news this morning I felt strong and confident that things would get better," a mother said.
"I have to send them to school. I mean, I'm nervous but again there is nothing more that I can do. I don't want to keep them home and scared in the house," Larson said.
The Newton School system addressed that this may be scary or confusing for children and encouraged parents to talk to their kids and ensure them that any changes being made are only to keep them safe.
As of Sunday, there were 27 presumptive cases of coronavirus and one confirmed case in Massachusetts. Presumptive positive tests mean patients tested positive for COVID-19 at a state level and the results were sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmation.
Twenty-three of those presumptive cases have been connected to a Biogen employee conference that took place at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf in February.