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Written by: E. George
Published February 5, 2025 @ 5:45 PM ET
POLK COUNTY, Ga. – The Polk County School District shut down facilities and schools for two days due to an overwhelming wave of flu and norovirus cases among faculty, staff, and students. The district disclosed that 63 employees and 761 students fell ill, and a deep cleaning of the buildings was required.
The school district stated, “This decision is not made lightly, and as always, we will continue to prioritize the health and safety of our students, staff, and community. Extra-curricular activities and after-school events will not be affected.”
Officials said the cases comprised “10% or more of our student population at each school and a shortage of necessary staff to operate effectively.” Schools remained closed on Friday and Monday and resumed normally on Tuesday.
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta doctor Lauren Middlebrooks stressed the highly contagious nature of the norovirus and confirmed the increase in cases this year over the past four to five years. She said the virus can be transmitted via contamination or ingestion and symptoms can include abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea, fever, nausea, and vomiting.
Dr. Middlebrooks noted the persistence of the norovirus, adding that hand sanitizer alone will not kill it. She said individuals must wash their hands with soap and water, scrubbing for at least 25 seconds.
Parents and guardians should keep children who are exhibiting symptoms home from school. She stated, “If you can keep your child home for 24 hours after the diarrhea stops, that would be the safest bet. At minimum, please keep them home while they’re actively having symptoms.”
Middlebrooks said the symptoms could last from 24-72 hours, up to two weeks.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shared that this flu season has seen 16 million cases, 190,000 hospital visits, and 8,300 deaths. The agency said approximately 2,500 cases of norovirus outbreaks have been documented in the United States thus far, with the majority occurring between November and April.
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