Closure of 2 local schools not cause for alarm on campus

Despite two local elementary schools closing because of illness, MSU officials said they are not worried about an increase in illnesses on campus.

East Lansing’s Marble Elementary School, 729 N. Hagadorn Road, and DeWitt’s Scott Elementary School both shut their doors for the remainder of the week because of a higher percentage of students being absent from flu-like illnesses.

MSU spokesman Jason Cody said the schools shutting down do not have much of an impact for MSU students, but the university will continue to monitor activity within the community.

“The administration and (MSU) health officials are very in tune to what is happening in the community and there are discussions going on to how we can protect the students, faculty, staff and members of the MSU community,” he said.

University physician Beth Alexander said flu-like illnesses, similar to the illnesses experienced at the elementary schools, already are on campus and are prevalent throughout Michigan.

Once H1N1 vaccines are available, containment of that illness will begin, Alexander said.

“When we have vaccines available for students, we will be posting where and how they can get it on the MSU Web site,” she said.

Marble Elementary announced at noon Wednesday the school would close for the remainder of the week. Director of Human Resources for East Lansing Public Schools Kelley Peatross said the school had seen an increase in absences at the beginning of the week, and when absences spiked to 30 percent, officials decided to close.

Other schools in the area also saw increased numbers of students out sick to flu-like illness, but numbers began to taper off, Peatross said.

“It varies by building and by (grade) level,” she said. “Some students are out because of influenza-like symptoms and others are out for other reasons, like ear infections or things of that nature.”

Although the community has seen an increase in illness this fall, Cody said flu activity on campus has been normal for the fall. However, university officials have told professors in case of an outbreak, to be lenient on attendance policies.

“There is no university attendance policy now,” he said. “Instructors have been notified to work with students that may be ill, if they have an influx of those students.”

Media arts and technology junior Sarah Pelts said she didn’t think MSU would close like the elementary schools if illness spread onto campus, because
college students are more apt to take care of themselves than children.

“I live in a sorority house (with) 42 girls and only one or two have been sick so far,” she said. “(MSU students) can take care of it themselves; we aren’t as prone to it.”