News

Middle school absenses spike as flu ramps up

By Bill Moss, Published: December 19, 2014

Henderson County's middle schools saw student absences spike this week as flu season gained traction.

The school system's 17 elementary and middle schools reported 239 more absences Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week than a three-day period Nov. 17-19, figures from the system's central office showed. The spike at the four middle schools was even more dramatic, with 160 more absences the first three days of this week compared to the three-day November stretch — or 34 percent higher.

The biggest spike for absences happened Tuesday, when Rugby Middle School had 88 kids out, Apple Valley had 58 absences, Flat Rock was down 47 pupils and Hendersonville Middle had 45 students stay home.
"It's been steady," said HMS principal Luke Manuel. "We looked and there's no way for us to determine what reason they're out unless they bring a doctor's note."
The flu has hit some parts of the region even harder.
Manuel said he had heard that Cherokee County schools started its Christmas vacation early because so many kids were out sick. Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy in Rutherford County also called off school two days early, on Wednesday, because of high absences. Since last Friday, at least a quarter of the students have been out at the academy's K-5 campus, WLOS-TV reported Wednesday.
This week Henderson County schools saw absences spike, especially in middle school.
"I was able to talk to a few school nurses, and yes they are seeing a lot of flu in the schools now," said Kim Horton, communications specialist with the Henderson County Health Department.
The Health Department's school nurse supervisor, Kim Berry, urged parents to keep their children at home if they are running a fever. Berry said some parents were giving their kids acetaminophen and sending them to school even though they were running a fever.
"This just spreads the flu to everyone who comes in contact with them," Horton said. Berry "emphasizes that parents need to keep their kids at home when sick."
The numbers for the elementary and middle schools showed that 1,506 pupils were out sick Dec. 15-17 compared to 1,267 Nov. 17-19 — an increase of 19 percent. High school attendance did not seem to be affected. The attendance rate at the four high schools was holding steady at around 96 percent, the central office said.
Although Pardee Hospital imposed its stricter visitation policy on Dec. 5 as the flu season was taking hold, it has not seen a big spike in flu cases.
"We have seen a slight increase in cases with Influenza like symptoms," said Pardee spokesman Adam Fisher. "However, we have not seen a dramatic increase in cases at this time. We continue to see more cases of Influenza A, rather than Influenza B."
Horton, of the Health Department, said
"This time of year with everybody in close quarters these things start spreading and it's not surprising," she said. "It's still important to do the things you always hear, wash your hands and covering your cough, the basics you've been told over and over."
The 2014-15 flu vaccine may be less effective against one strain of the virus.
"What we been told is that, H3N2, one of the strains, appears to have changed and so it's not a good match," Horton said. "However that doesn't mean that people shouldn't get their flu shot because you are protected against two or other strains and if you do get the flu you'll have a less severe case."
"If you do feel ill don't go out in public or go to work. Stay home and see your health care provider. If you do come down with the flu it's important to see your health care provider as soon as possible. If it's the strain that they think is causing problems they can start you on anti-viral which will alleviate some of the effects and hopefully ameliorate the time you're sick less."

School officials said one saving grace was that the Christmas holiday, which starts at the end of school today, will give students a two-week break and a chance to recover if they are down with the flu.
The state Department of Health and Human Services recommends that people combat the chance of flu by getting plenty of rest, washing their hands often with warm soap and water for 15-20 seconds or using germ-killing hand sanitizer, avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth and disinfect home, school and work surfaces with solutions that kill flu viruses like chlorine, hydrogen peroxide and alcohol wipes.