BPS shuts Eliot School for a week after somebody affiliated with it tests positive for coronavirus

BPS today alerted parents of students at the Eliot K-8 School in the North End that it is closing all three of its building tomorrow for a week because somebody affiliated with the school has tested positive for Covid-19.

In e-mail, School Superintendent Brenda Cassellius wrote:

Out of an abundance of caution, beginning tomorrow, Thursday, March 12, Boston Public Schools (BPS) is closing the three campuses of the Eliot K-8 School at the recommendation of the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) due to a presumptive positive case of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, in a non student member of our school community. At this time, we plan to reopen all three sites of the Eliot school on Thursday, March 19, 2020.

BPHC staff are working on an ongoing basis to assess risk and follow up with all known contacts of this individual. At this point we encourage everyone who has been physically inside one of three Eliot buildings to practice social distancing and avoid public places until Thursday, March 19, 2020. If you or anyone associated with the school develops fever, cough or shortness of breath, please contact your primary care provider or the BPHC at the Mayor’s Healthline, 617-534-5050.

As of today, Boston has reported 19 residents have tested positive for the virus.