Schools
Bothell High School Closed Thursday For Disinfection
The school district said a staff member returned from abroad with a sick family member who will be tested for the COVID-19 virus.
BOTHELL, WA — Bothell High School will be closed Thursday after a school staff member returned from a trip abroad with a sick family member, according to the Northshore School District. A letter sent to families from Superintendent Michelle Reid said the staff member and their relative were being monitored in quarantine at home for potential exposure to COVID-19, a new strain of the coronavirus linked to China.
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"At this time, there is no confirmation that the family member's illness is connected to the coronavirus outbreak, but out of an abundance of caution the family member is being tested," Reid wrote.
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According to the school district, the state Department of Health said the risk to students and staff was minimal and did not believe the situation warranted a school closure. The superintendent decided to close the school anyway, to give support staff time to fully disinfect the school campus.
"I want to be clear that the staff member is not the individual who is being tested for the coronavirus," Reid wrote. "In these unusual circumstances as the national picture continues to evolve — and with the strong presence of social media — I know it is easy to begin speculating and questioning."
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"Last year's snow and measles situations helped us to understand the importance of identifying innovative wats to educate students outside the traditional classroom, and we have been identifying mechanisms and processes for continuing student learning through extended unforeseen events should this become necessary," Reid wrote.
On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated a domestic outbreak of COVID-19 was likely to occur. Public health officials have outlined several recommendations, including potential school dismissals, should the virus become widespread in Washington.
Follow the latest developments in the response to COVID-19 via the Washington Department of Health and CDC websites.
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