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Virus Alert Spreads Faster than Virus Attack
Michigan residents are accustomed to snow, lots of it, and have come to expect it as a way of life in the harsh winter months. What residents aren't accustomed to is the Norovirus. The virus, often associated with tropical climates, resorts and cruise ships, spreads rapidly from close contact between passengers and guests. Despite the virus's affinity for warm weather climes and cruise ships it attacked Reach Academy, a National Heritage Charter School in Western Michigan, just over a week ago.
Immediately upon learning of a suspected case of Norovirus at her school, Principal Paula Dowker sent out a SchoolReach alert. The message went to all parents instructing them to pick up their children immediately. The school needed to be cleared before a 12-person cleaning crew that specializes in virus eradication could begin their work.
Principal Dowker sent out the first SchoolReach message on Friday at 1:30pm asking parents to pick up their within an hour. By 2:30pm all of the approximately 600 students were picked up. After the cleaning crew completed their work, Principal Dowker sent a subsequent SchoolReach message on Sunday night announcing that it was safe for students to return to school and that classes would resume as normal. With SchoolReach, the pick-up notification spread faster than the virus and enabled the school to be cleared and cleaned, stopping the norovirus in its tracks.
""I was really amazed at the speed in which we were able to send a message and have students picked up," said Principal Dowker. "SchoolReach was timely, efficient, and in an emergency situation we were able to do what we needed to in order to keep students safe."