Some Fresno elementary students return to distance learning due to COVID-19 again

For the second time in a month, Addicott Elementary School has shut down classrooms due to coronavirus concerns.

Fresno Unified spokesperson Nikki Henry confirmed the small school of about 50 students with special needs would remain shuttered until at least Monday.

“That time may be extended depending upon pending test results of identified close contacts,” Henry said.

Henry didn’t respond to questions about specifics surrounding the coronavirus-related concerns, including any numbers related to possible COVID-19 infections. She did say staff remains on campus and said students have returned to distance learning.

“Following our quarantine protocols and safety practices, staff are able to remain at the school site to work safely,” Henry said in an email to The Bee’s Education Lab. “However out of an abundance of caution for our medically fragile students, it was deemed in the best interest of their health and safety to return to distance learning.”

Addicott also closed down in early October after multiple staff members tested positive.

Since the fall semester began, FUSD has reported 2,268 positive COVID-19 cases among staff and students district-wide.

News of the school closure comes a day after the formal approval of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine of children ages 5 to 11.

As many as 110,000 children ages 5 to 11 in Fresno County — and about 236,000 across the central San Joaquin Valley — are now eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines that have received emergency-use authorization from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and a recommendation from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.