Park City closes schools due to swine flu scare

PARK CITY — The Park City School District Thursday took emergency action and closed all eight of its schools after learning that three students were possibly infected with the swine flu virus.

All schools and the district office will remain closed until at least Monday. In addition, all school-related activities, including sporting events and Park City High School's prom this weekend, are canceled.

The decision was made during an emergency meeting of the Park City Board of Education about 11 p.m. Wednesday. Spring break for the district ended April 19, and school board President Kim Carson said she knew her district had a higher-than-average chance of having students infected because several families went to Mexico.

The final decision to close schools came after a local pediatrician examined all three students believed to have the flu. She said there was "an extremely high likelihood" that all three cases would come back positive for the flu when their test results were returned, Carson said.

According to a message Superintendent Ray Timothy posted on the district's Web site, the move to close all schools is being called a "proactive and precautionary" measure.

Although she would not identify specifically which schools the students suspected of being infected attend, Carson said it involved an elementary and middle school. But there is potential for all students being exposed to the illness through second- and third-generation contact.

In at least one of the suspected cases, the student contacted the possible swine flu virus from a sibling who went to Mexico over spring break.

"What we're trying to do here is be proactive and isolate this. Protect not only ourselves but our entire community. I don't think people need to be panicked," Carson said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not recommended any school closure until there is a confirmed case, she said.

"But because of our local physician felt so strongly these will come back positive, we want to be proactive," Carson said. "There was definitely consideration of activities, especially prom this weekend. But the safety and health of our students and staff is of utmost consideration."

Monday is already a scheduled teacher work day, so students did not have to go to school. If the test results come back negative, schools will open again Tuesday, Carson said. If the results are positive, the schools may remain closed all of next week.

Carson said the district would update its Web site regularly and send text messages to all students, teachers and administrators who had signed up for its messaging program.

These cases come less than 24 hours after the Utah Department of Health reported it had its first "probable" case of swine flu in a separate incident.

Eight public schools in Salt Lake County have been designated for distributing the anti-viral medication for swine flu, should mass distribution be ordered.

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