PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Lower Merion School District is shifting immediately to all-virtual classes after district officials say they had 14 COVID-19 cases confirmed Monday.
Lower Merion School District Superintendent Robert Copeland said they hoped to continue in-person instruction for all high school students through this week, but after conversations with the Montgomery County Office of Public Health, they decided to end in-person instruction immediately.
According to the district’s dashboard, there were 24 new cases last week: 14 students and 10 staff members. Already this week, there are 14 new cases, and nine of those are staff.
Copeland said county officials tell them they’re unable to keep up with contact tracing, and testing sites are overwhelmed, meaning they can longer say with certainty that there is no transmission within their schools.
Last week, Lower Merion had to halt transportation services because an outbreak of COVID-19 cases meant they didn’t have enough drivers or bus aides to run all their routes.
The county voted last week to force all schools, public and private, out of the classroom and into virtual learning for two weeks, starting on Monday.