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CONYERS, Ga. - After a day of sanitizing and deep cleaning, Rockdale County school officials plan to reopen Honey Creek Elementary school on Tuesday -- one day after a scheduled sick day for the entire school.
Rockdale County public health officials confirm the school district reached out to the health department last Tuesday after several students started suffering from gastrointestinal issues including nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Based on the symptoms and the number of children who were out sick in the days that followed, school officials decided to close the school Monday a thorough cleaning.
"When you consider the number of students who became ill and how quickly it spread, our epidemiologists concluded this was likely the result of norovirus," said Chad Conner, the spokesman for the Rockdale County Health Department.
Latriece Colson told FOX 5's Portia Bruner her two Honey Creek Elementary students had severe symptoms last week, then passed the virus along to their 16-year-old brother.
"It was a long week. At one point they were all sick and vomiting and had other issues. My little ones are okay now, but I feel bad for my son who's in high school and I'm wondering if my older daughter will get it as well," Colson said, as her younger children played in front of her home next to the elementary school.
Friday, Honey Creek Elementary principal Susan Norton notified parents about the decision to close the school and clean the campus. The principal also asked parents to be mindful of sending sick children to school.
"People can also be infected and have no symptoms. Infected individuals can easily spread the illness to others through contaminated food, drinks, and surfaces. Hand washing and cleaning common touch surfaces are the best ways to limit the spread of illness," Monitor your child and members of your family to see if they develop diarrhea, and/or vomiting," Norton said in the letter.
Norton also outlined the duration of symptoms and suggested parents see their children's pediatrician if symptoms last longer than a couple of days.
"If your child develops vomiting or diarrhea, please keep them home from school until their symptoms are gone for at least 24 to 48 hours without the aid of medication," Norton wrote.
Coulson says she is glad to hear the school has been sanitized and said she feels comfortable sending her children back to school on Tuesday.
"The parents out here are really good and involved. I have a feeling after everything that's happened, no one will send their sick kids to school. But I still can't understand how a virus could spread like this in such a short amount of time," said Colson.
On Tuesday, officials say they had 55 students absent – around 8.7 percent – and 13 checked out due to illness or a sibling who was ill.