ACPS: if multiple COVID-19 outbreaks occur, schools can close

ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - As Albemarle County students head back to class Monday, August 23, the school district is planning for the possibility of coronavirus outbreaks, and perhaps having to close schools if they get out of hand.

Superintendent Matthew Haas now has the ability to close individual schools if outbreaks happen.

ACPS will primarily contact trace and follow guidance from the Blue Ridge Health District to make these decisions.

“A single outbreak probably wouldn’t by itself get to close the school, but if there were several outbreaks in that school within a short period of time infecting more than one or two students, for example, multiple classrooms, or grade levels, I think that would argue for closing that school,” Phil Giaramita with ACPS said.

Albemarle County Public Schools anticipates a school closure as a last resort solution thanks to high vaccination rates among staff and mitigation strategies in place.