Flu Season Overload

Flu season is upon us! Especially this year, the flu has been showing up very often in students and staff. It started up early this fall and will likely last well into April or May. There are even articles

floating around about the season lasting longer than usual, and being much worse than we usually see it.

Mrs. Rallo in the Penn Attendance booth believes the number of students absent this year is at least double that of last year. In an email interview, Mrs. Rallo told PNN that “the number of students whose parents called in were at least 200 a day during the month of February. Students were out with colds, flus, bronchitis, even pneumonia…Some students have been out two, even three straight weeks. I believe this year has been far worse for illnesses during the month of January, but particularly February, than we have seen in the last two years.”

Peni Vakalahi, class of 2018, said, that he was out of school for “two days in a row” because of the flu. “It was very bad because kids are very germ filled,” Vakalahi went on to say.

What should you do if you’re sick? According to the CDC website, anti-viral drugs can help lessen the symptoms of the flu, reduce the time you’re sick by up to two days, and reduce the chance of complications with the flu, especially for people with high risk for complications…like people with asthma.

Lucie Horvath, class of 2018, said when she had the flu, it felt like she was “constantly exhausted and couldn’t hold any food down.” A lot of kids with the flu feel this pain, and that’s why avoiding the flu as much as possible is a great alternative to missing school.

How do we keep from getting sick? Wash your hands frequently, especially after coughing. Another important piece of advice: don’t come to school sick. Not even for the test you’re convinced you can’t make up. Don’t come to school unless you’ve been fever free for at least 24 hours because the person with the flu can be contagious up to two days after symptoms have completely disappeared. Penn nurse, Sally Dikos, said “February is our month that we see a lot of cold and flu cases…a lot of the kids did not get [the flu shot].” Next year, don’t skip out on the flu shot! It can reduce your shot of catching the flu by about 60%.

Hopefully next year, the amount of students with the flu will reduce, and Penn can stay healthy!