Coronavirus In Wisconsin Leads To Osceola High School Closure For Cleaning
OSCEOLA, Wis. (WCCO) -- Osceola Lanes was busier than typical for a Tuesday, filled with young bowlers who were not at school.
The activity was due to the COVID-19 concerns which kept kids home for the day. A necessary precautionary step to allow a thorough cleaning of all district school buildings.
"School got cancelled so we decided to go bowling and get the kids out of the house and find something to do," explains parent, Shawnah Dunnom.
On Saturday, a patient who later tested positive for the coronavirus disease COVID-19 attended a weekend event at the high school.
So, as a precaution, a team of 15 custodians gathered early Tuesday morning to begin the job of disinfecting the most vulnerable surfaces.
The district's effort came as recommended by public health officials to halt any risk of a wider spread.
"I totally trust our school district," explains Gwen Wright, a parent of four Osceola students.
Wright was in the school on Monday attending an awards banquet with her girls when the district made the decision to close and clean.
The move sent 1,600 district-wide students home for the day on Tuesday.
"Everybody was really good about us getting out and going. There was no hysteria and no panic," added Wright. "All of them just did what they were told to do and leave."
By early Tuesday afternoon, the job was mostly complete. A conference call with state and county health officials confirmed there was no further threat and no further need to keep buildings closed.
It was an unexpected day off for kids as well as an inconvenience for many parents.
But to a public school district, a necessary undertaking for controlling a virus that is still not fully understood.
Polk County Public Health does not believe there is currently any community spread of virus.
So with the buildings disinfected, classes will resume on Wednesday.