COVID cluster forces closure of Brogden Primary

Wayne County Public Schools has moved Brogden Primary to Plan C — full remote instruction — for the next two weeks, as eight COVID-19 cases “impacting the school” have been reported since Sept. 29.

Four of those cases were reported today.

In a news release issued by WCPS, interim superintendent Dr. James Merrill said the decision was made to close the building for students and staff to allow time for deep cleaning and to allow those who have potentially been exposed to monitor for symptoms.

“As has already occurred with other non-WCPS schools in our county and region impacted by COVID-19 on their campuses, we are transitioning this particular school to full remote to allow time for the district to deep clean the building and for any staff or students who may have been exposed to remain home to self monitor for symptoms,” he said.

Brogden Primary is the second Wayne County school to move to all virtual this fall because of COVID. Wayne Christian, which is not a part of the local school district, closed temporarily last month and remains the biggest COVID cluster in the state, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, with 40 cases — 36 of them children — reported.