WATERTOWN, NY (WWTI) – The Watertown City School District is addressing community concerns about bed bugs.
According to Patricia LaBarr, Watertown Superintendent, on Monday, May 9, the district received many calls about bed bugs at the school.
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LaBarr said those calls were based on social media posts claiming that there were bed bugs in the Watertown High School auditorium.
LaBarr issued the following statement in response:
The Watertown City School District has developed a protocol for handling situations where bed bugs are found or suspected in any of the district’s buildings, either on a student and his or her belongings or in the facility itself. The district takes public health seriously and safety of students, and this includes the emotional safety of students who may be vulnerable to bed bugs on their bodies and/or property.
Patricia B. LaBarr, Superintendent, Watertown City School District
If an infestation is suspected, LaBarr said the district will discreetly isolate the location, screen students suspected of being in the location, contact the Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds, and contact parents or guardians of students that have been checked.
However, if a bed bug is found on a student, this does not mean that it is infested. LaBarr made sure bed bug infestations in schools are uncommon and often come from a different source. In addition, finding a single bed bug is not an infestation.
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There was no additional confirmation regarding the eradication or severity of the claimed infestation at Watertown High School.
