MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Hundreds of Osseo Area Schools staff members were out Friday as the COVID-19 Omicron variant surges across the county.
According to Kelly Wilson, Osseo teachers’ union president, there were 593 absences recorded last Friday, which is an all-time high compared to 350 recorded in the past.
Wow. @EMO_prez tells me there were 593 absences called in by teachers and staff on Friday in Osseo Public School District @ISD279! COVID + Winter Illness = struggles for all districts right now.
— Jason DeRusha (@DeRushaJ) January 10, 2022
That represents about 17% of the staff. It’s not clear how many of the staff absences were due to COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the school district is experiencing bus route delays and cancellations due to bus driver shortage and a “sharp increase in COVID-19 cases.”
Some Minnesota schools are moving to distance learning Monday due to the pandemic and cold weather, including Minneapolis Public Schools.
Source: New feed
