Niagara Falls elementary school closed due to positive COVID-19 case

Maple Avenue Elementary School is closed until October 8th.

MARK LAURRIE SAYSBETTER SAFE THANSORRY.MARK: I NEVER WANTTO SEE ANYONE GETSICK.

THAT'S NUMBERONE.

I'M ALWAYSGOING TO ACT ON THESIDE OF CAUTION,EVEN OVERACADEMICS.LAURRIE HAS CLOSEDMAPLE AVENUEELEMENTARY SCHOOLAFTER ONE STAFFMEMBER TESTEDPOSITIVE.

THE STAFFMEMBER WAS INMULTIPLECLASSROOMS FORABOUT AN HOUR LASTWEEK.

THAT MEANSFOR THE NEXT TWOWEEKS... ABOUT 350STUDENTS WILL BELEARNING FROMHOME.MARK: THE NUMBEROF 61 CONTACTTRACED INDIVIDUALSMADE IT IN THE BESTINTEREST OF ALL TOCLOSE THE SCHOOLDOWN FOR AQUARANTINE PERIOD.THE STATE HEALTHDEPARTMENT NOWREQUIRES ANYONEWHO WAS IN THEROOM WITH A COVIDPOSITIVE INDIVIDUALFOR LONGER THAN 60MINUTES TOQUARANTINE.DAN: THAT'S A NEWTERM WE JUSTSTARTED USINGABOUT TWO WEEKSAGO FROM THE STATE.THEY MADE THISDETERMINATION.STAND UP: THERE WILLBE FREE COVIDTESTING AT THEMAPLE AVENUEELEMENTARY SCHOOLTUESDAY FROM 1PMTO FOUR.LAURRIE: I'M NOTGOING TO PUTMYSELF OR THEDISTRICT IN APOSITION TO HAVE AWIDESPREADPANDEMIC.NIAGARA FALLSMEMORIAL MEDICALCENTER WILLCONDUCT THETESTING ON TUESDAYFOR FAMILIES,STUDENTS AND STAFFBUT LAURRIE SAYSTHEY WON'T TURNANYONE AWAY.

THENIAGARA COUNTYHEALTH DEPARTMENTWILL OFFER RAPIDCOVID TESTS TOSTAFF ON WEDNESDAYAND THURSDAY.DAN: WE WANT TOMAKE SURE PEOPLEHAVE ACCESS TO ATLEAST KNOW THENUMBERS IN A SNAPSHOT OF TIME.ABOUT 40 MAPLEAVENUE ELEMENTARYFACULTY AND STAFFWILL ALSO BEWORKING FROM HOMEUNTIL OCTOBER 8TH.IN NIAGARA FALLS, OP,7EWN.