Santa Cruz County schools closing in advance of more COVID-19 spread
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif
The Santa Cruz County Office of Education in conjunction with School District Superintendents and the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency have decided to close all Santa Cruz County public schools for the week of March 16-20, according to a statement released from the district.
The statement says that the safety and wellness of students, families, and school personnel are the highest priorities of all Santa Cruz County schools and districts.
The district took the action in light of the first confirmed COVID-19 case at Rio Del Mar Elementary and in anticipation of more cases to follow.
The statement goes on to say that the district will reassess whether to extend the closure beyond March 20th by the end of next week.
"Santa Cruz County Public Health Officer, Dr. Gail Newel, reported that while the number of cases in our county remains small at this time, the Santa Cruz County Public Health Division expects those numbers to grow significantly in the coming days and weeks which may require a continued response," according to the district news release.
