Iowa School District Forced to Close Due to Widespread Illness

It's been a particularly nasty cold and flu season here in the Midwest, and a school district in southern Iowa is showing that it's not letting up. An entire district in Seymour, IA has cancelled classes Tuesday, February 13th, 2024 due to widespread illnesses amongst students and staff.

Per KCCI news, officials at Seymour Community School District in southern Iowa's Wayne County said that the decision was made in lieu of its 30% of its staff and 20% of its student population is/was out sick. This prompted the cancellation of classes Tuesday with the status of Wednesday classes to be determined.

Moreover, Seymour's regional girls basketball game Tuesday night at Martensdale-St. Mary's will be played as scheduled. This is not the first time Iowa school districts have dealt with mass sicknesses this season.

Back in late 2023, Polk County Health Department officials revealed that during a four-week period between November 20th - December 20th, schools saw high rates of student absences due to locally circulating viruses, including influenza, COVID-19, and RSV.

Ahead of winter break, two schools reported a student absentee rate of more than 10%. More than a third of schools in the county (35%) had 5% or more of their students absent.

In December 2023, Janesville Schools revealed via Facebook that there were 127 students and 13 staff members absent in a single day due to illness. As a result, Janesville Schools cancelled in-person classes, as well as after school activities, for two weeks. Classes were held virtually.

Read more about the Seymour Community School District cancelling classes in lieu of widespread illness on KCCI's website.