PARKERSBURG — The Boys and Girls Club of Parkersburg will close if Wood County Schools closes due to the COVID-19 virus, an official said Thursday.

Executive Director Ben Shuman said the club daily serves more than 100 students and if the school system closes to slow the spread of the coronavirus, the club must as well.

“We feel like the safety of the kids is our top priority,” he said. “We’ve been following the situation very closely, and it is a tough decision to make.”

No announcements have yet to be made in West Virginia, which has yet to have a confirmed case of the virus. Several events, however, have already been postponed or canceled, and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has announced all Ohio schools will close for three weeks beginning next week.

Many area colleges have canceled classes and are looking at online-only options.

Wood County Schools announced Thursday it was canceling its Young Authors reception. Officials with Wood County Schools met with health officials Thursday and Superintendent Will Hosaflook will meet today in Charleston with superintendents from throughout West Virginia.

The Wood County Board of Education may call an emergency meeting next week if action is decided at the state level.

Shuman said the club would close if either Jefferson Elementary Center or Van Devender Middle School were to close due to virus concerns.

“A large portion of our members come from those two schools,” he said.

But Shuman said while the club would close, officials are still looking at providing some services for students.

“One of the biggest concerns I have, in the immediate future, is feeding children,” he said. “Wood County schools are providing breakfast and lunch, and then we are providing a snack and dinner five days a week. Especially in our neighborhood, a lot of kids rely on those meals.”

Shuman said officials will look at some sort of drive-thru or delivery program, and he hopes Wood County Schools also will be able to generate a plan. Shuman said the Boys and Girls Club is talking with other agencies about helping to feed students during a possible shutdown.

“We have some plans to try to mitigate that immediate food need,” he said. “And our staff will still be here working on different projects, sanitizing the building, so you’ll still see some activity at the club.”

Michael Erb can be reached at merb@newsandsentinel.com.