Weymouth High School Notifies Parents About Sick Employee; Coronavirus Not Suspected
WEYMOUTH (CBS) – The Weymouth superintendent says no one in the school community is suspected of having coronavirus after sending a notice to parents about a sick employee. Earlier on Friday, high school parents received a health message saying that a staff member had reportedly self-quarantined and they were working with the Department of Public Health to determine the next steps.
Weymouth school Dept in contact with DPH after high school staff member self quarantined. Supt stresses there's no confirmation.#wbz pic.twitter.com/fNdv8RukcY
— Beth Germano (@BethWBZ) February 28, 2020
In a new statement Friday afternoon, Supt. Jennifer Curtis-Whipple said the employee became sick after visiting a country that does not have coronavirus-related travel restrictions.
"At approximately noon today, Weymouth Public Schools officials were notified of a school employee that had self-reported having a fever yesterday after coming home from a trip abroad last week," Curtis-Whipple said. "The district has been notified by health officials that there is no one in the school community suspected of having Coronavirus."
Read: Answers To Your Coronavirus Questions
The staff member will be able to return to work when they are feeling better, she said.
Students told WBZ-TV that they were instructed Friday to stop sharing drinks and high-fiving.
"Kids in the school, everyone is walking around with their hoods over their mouths, everyone was nervous," said Weymouth High School student Andrew Foley.
Some parents were concerned that school administrators acted too quickly. "I think they're overreacting," said parent Christina Coveney. "I think it was spread trough social media."
The Public Health Commission said this week that more than 600 people in Massachusetts have been under self-quarantine in their homes. There has only been a single confirmed case of coronavirus in the state.