Elementary school parents hold little ones close after 2 young student flu deaths

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. (7News) — Some elementary school parents are concerned for their children after two students died from the flu in Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS).

A school spokesperson said that they attended John Bayne Elementary School and CMIT North Elementary School.

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“That’s scary to hear,” Amber Gray, mother of two, said. “It scares me, especially because we’re going into spring, so I was hoping that was kind of over, the flu season, but I guess we’re still kind of in it.”

Here is what PGCPS said they’re doing to prevent the spread in schools:

• Enhanced Cleaning – Increased disinfection of high-touch areas in schools and buses.
• Handwashing & Hygiene – Ensuring ample soap, paper towels, and hand sanitizer, along with reminders for proper handwashing.
• Temporary Masking – If flu cases reach critical levels in a school, we may require temporary masking to safeguard students and staff.
• On-Site Flu Vaccination – We are partnering with the Prince George’s County Health Department to provide flu vaccines in affected schools.
• Limiting Exposure – Keeping students in consistent groups where possible to limit interactions and contain outbreaks.
• Extracurricular Adjustments – Modifying or postponing high-contact activities and large gatherings as needed.
• Ongoing Monitoring – We continue to track illness trends, work closely with local health officials, and update families regularly.

“As soon as they get in, it’s like, ‘Wash your hands, soap, 30 seconds, A-B-C song’ while they’re washing, and then I give them vitamins,” Gray said. “I think that people should take the precautions for their kids based on their individual needs.”

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Parent Sharece Thomas said you can never be too careful.

“Don’t send them to school when they’re sick,” Thomas said. “We all just need to still keep our kids safe even though it’s not a COVID-19 epidemic. It’s still something that we all just got to keep our children safe.”

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The school district said it will host its first flu vaccine clinic on Wednesday, March 12. Families who live near the targeted clinics will be notified directly with details on how they can attend.