DANVILLE, Pa. — The doors at Liberty Valley Intermediate School remained closed after a COVID-19 outbreak forced classes to go virtual. It's the second school in the district to have to close in under a week.
Liberty Valley went virtual Thursday, reporting eight positive cases and ten students in quarantine.
Malachi Courtney's daughter attends the school.
"We got a call by the superintendent last evening saying that it was going to close," said Courtney. "They just mentioned the number of COVID cases and out of an abundance of caution for safety for all the kids."
Courtney said he and his wife have been cautious during the pandemic, taking steps to protect their kids.
"We are concerned and that's why we did get our daughters vaccinated and actually she was able to be vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine this summer," he said.
Danville Primary School switched to virtual learning on Monday.
Lisa Rickavaugh just moved to the area. Her son spent his first-week classes at home.
"As a parent you're always worried about it, but at the end of the day I can't shelter him," said Rickavaugh. "He has to be out."
The closures come as Pfizer asks the U.S. to allow 5 to 11-year-olds to receive its COVID-19 vaccine.
While some parents have been asking for this, Rickavaugh isn't sold.
"I would wait till more research for my own child to get the vaccine," said Rickavaugh. "But if other parents feel better with their kid getting the vaccine, that's their choice, they can do it."
Courtney said he needs to look deeper into the statistics before making a decision.
"Just with kids as they've been more cautious, we'll be more cautious as parents as well," Courtney said.
Students at Danville Primary won't be back in the classroom until at least Monday, but students at Liberty Valley aren't expected back until Wednesday.