(Photo Courtesy of WHDH)
The front of one school in Groton, Mass.

Steven O’Hara
Connector Editor

Sickness strikes a local Massachusetts elementary school as close to 200 students have reported experiencing norovirus-like symptoms in the days leading to the closure. Last Friday, October 14th, many students fell ill within a few days, causing Florence Roche Elementary school to end the school day early.  

Little is known as to what caused the growing number of cases in this past event. Board of Health officials investigated the possible cause of this spread last weekend and have little to report back. So far all food, milk, and water have been tested but have come back negative for known contaminants; some of the children who were reported sick had also not eaten school lunch that day. Although the amount of students who fell sick is shocking, it’s not unheard of. Laland Ackerson, a UMass Lowell professor of Public Health whose expertise is in community health assessment, stated that, “With Norovirus especially, children are particularly susceptible to it… Older people who have been exposed to it in the past have partial immunity so their illness won’t be as bad. [Children’s] immune systems are also not as strong and when they play around, get dirty and don’t wash their hands as thoroughly- it’s another reason why kids are more likely to spread the disease.” 

 Close to 200 students having symptoms within a few days seems very bizarre, but the fact of the matter is that children normally don’t have a strong immune system compared to adults, so they are automatically more susceptible to viruses such as this. It would be more unlikely if only a few children had symptoms rather than a larger amount.   

This event has caused much concern for the health and well-being of the surrounding community and calls into question whether or not it’s classified as a public health crisis. Professor Ackerson gave his professional opinion on the matter, saying, “I would say it’s a public health concern… If this were in a lower income country that didn’t have that [health system] infrastructure it would be a lot scarier,”. Officials have not yet classified this event, and it’s unlikely that further actions will be carried out, other than procedural testing and quarantining.  

The specific illness has not been identified and its cause has yet to be determined. Officials are proceeding under the assumption that it is norovirus as most symptoms experienced have matched that of the virus, however conclusive data has not been found that has established it as Norovirus. Over the weekend, the building has been tested for leaks or contaminants in classrooms and other heavily populated areas within the school, results are yet to be released. The health of the surrounding community is important, and understanding what to do in order to stay safe is key. Professor Ackerson advises to on hygiene within communities of children, educate the families on hygiene for their children, and advise their families to keep their kids home if they’re sick or show any symptoms. 

Currently, there have been no reported hospitalizations for any students or staff, however four staff have reported experiencing symptoms over the weekend. All those who show signs of being sick are urged to isolate for a three day period. Florence Roche Elementary school is expected to reopen the following week.