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Lexington schools hoping weekend disinfection will stem spread of norovirus

LEXINGTON, Mass. — Late last week, there was an explosion of illness at the Bridge Elementary School in Lexington.

In two days’ time, hundreds of children fell sick with gastrointestinal symptoms.

“On Thursday, we had 128 that were home sick and on Friday we had 201,” Lexington Schools Superintendent Mary Czajkowski told FOX25.

The number out sick dropped to 72 on Monday, but that's still about six times the normal absentee rate.

“We have not experienced any outbreak of any symptoms of this in our other schools as of yet,” Czajkowski said.

The key word is ‘yet.’

In a letter to parents, Superintendent Czajkowski revealed the likely cause of the sickness is norovirus, which spreads fast.

“All it takes is one person who's sick going to school,” said Doctor Matthew Leibowitz. He’s an infectious disease specialist at Newton-Wellesley hospital.

“The time of onset from infection is very short. Usually within 24 to 48 hours after exposure and it's highly infectious,” he explained.

One parent wondered why, given so many kids were sick with a highly contagious bug, the school wasn't just closed.

The superintendent says the decision not to close the school was based on numbers and timing. Most of the staff, most of the children, were not sick; plus, the weekend was coming.

Those two days would give sick children a chance to recover and the school a chance to disinfect.

Which it did.

Parents hope a thorough cleaning of things like doorknobs, cafeteria tables and computers will be enough.