A COVID-19 outbreak is causing problems at Bennett Elementary School in Manassas, Virginia. Starting Tuesday, in-person classes will be paused for the week due to 36 confirmed cases, the school system confirmed to WTOP.
In an email to parents Friday night, Prince William County Superintendent LaTanya McDade said “It is important to note that quarantine does not equate to illness,” and that the steps are being taken out of an abundance of caution.
The school hopes that temporarily canceling in-person instruction will prevent and stop the spread of the virus.
“There are indications that the cause of the spread of the COVID-19 virus at Bennett Elementary School may be linked to both transmission in the community and the school,” McDade said in the email.
More than 1,000 students in Prince William County Public Schools are in quarantine or isolation as of Friday — not including 45 staff members, according to school system data.
Data from the Virginia Department of Health shows three outbreaks in three Prince William County schools: Sudley Elementary, Potomac High School, and Yorkshire Elementary.
The school system and Prince William Health District are hosting a webinar Oct. 11 to share more information and answer questions. Information on how to register is available online.
