YMCA cancels weekend school-age programs

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In an effort to help stop the spread of illness in the community, Fayette County Family YMCA has cancelled some of their school-age programs for the weekend.

Before and after-school child care programs along with Kids World of Learning will be closed on Friday, except to Sugar Creek and Wingate employees. According to YMCA CEO Doug Saunders, this will allow the child care areas to be cleaned and disinfected as they have also had children and a couple staff members absent from illness.

Swim lessons and karate were cancelled for Thursday. Swim lessons and youth basketball were cancelled for Saturday.

The cancelled basketball games are to be made up next week during practices, according to a post shared on Facebook by the YMCA. The Bobcats competitive league team will have its game on Monday at 7 p.m. against the Bearcats.

“It’s best to try to keep kids away from each other since symptoms don’t necessarily display themselves right away,” said Saunders.

The decision to cancel certain programs came after Leigh Cannon, a member of the YMCA Board of Directors and the deputy health commissioner at Fayette County Public Health, requested the YMCA to consider it.

“I recommended to the Y to cancel the youth activities just because if we cancel school and then they’re allowed to congregate at the Y—I mean that can be anywhere from 200 to 300 kids on a Saturday for those basketball games. That’s kind of defeating the purpose,” said Cannon.

Saunders explained that the YMCA tries to work with their partners in order “to provide a healthy community.”

According to Cannon, the best defense against the flu and other illnesses going around is to wash hands often and to get a flu shot.

“If you are sick, stay home. The flu can take five-to-seven days for you to no longer be contagious after the first day your symptoms appear,” said Cannon. “The main thing is don’t go around other people if you aren’t feeling well, because there are other illnesses circulating as well.”

Reach Jennifer Woods at 740-313-0355 or on Twitter @JennMWoods.

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By Jennifer Woods

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