With the onset of the flu season, Ellis School in Fremont has been severely hit, leading to almost 30% of its student population being affected and school closure. An alarming 104 out of 358 students were reported absent due to sickness which urged Superintendent Brian Stack to take the significant decision to close the school for controlling the rampant spread. A couple of such incidents in his 20 years of service have been attributed to reasons besides COVID-19.
In a joint communication with the school community, Principal Delaney Rosenberg, and school nurse Katlin Schipano elucidated how the closure will not only mitigate the dispersal of the flu, but will also give ailing students rest and recovery time prior to the holiday season. It will also facilitate custodial staff to put in place deep cleaning measures at the school. The students and stakeholders were also encouraged to contribute to the flu control efforts.
The school has advised parents to adhere to a few precautions. Students should not report back to school for at least 24 hours from the last fever (without medication) symptom. This applies to vomiting and diarrhea instances as well. Additionally, students with continuous coughs have been advised to stay at home until the symptom can be manageably treated with medicine.
While flu isn’t a reportable disease in New Hampshire, the state Department of Health and Human Services does provide the scope for surveillance. According to latest data from the Influenza Surveillance Program, varied levels of flu activity were reported across different counties. Moderate activity was reported in Belknap, Hillsborough, Merrimack and Rockingham counties. Carroll, Cheshire and Strafford counties showed low activity, while Coos, Grafton and Sullivan counties saw very low activity.
A visible increase in flu activity has been observed over the past month which is a norm for this part of the year. Moreover, flu incidence typically elevates in December and peaks around January or February, as per Maddie Miller, the public health public information officer for the DHHS. Chief medical officer, Dr. Brian Sanders from Portsmouth Regional Hospital and Frisbie Memorial Hospital, claims hospitals have had slightly more cases this year as compared to last year. Despite no specific dominance in any age group, in-patients with flu have primarily been above 50 years of age.
With winter setting in, the cold and dry air and spending more time indoors due to cold weather increases conducive environments for virus spread, as noted by Stephanie Szopa, infection prevention officer at Elliot Hospital in Manchester. The increase in public gatherings during holidays in confined indoor environments escalates the risk associated with the spread of flu and cold viruses.
During this crucial phase, Szopa stressed on the role of preventative measures suggesting people consider getting vaccinated against seasonal flu not only for personal protection but also to reduce further virus spread. Despite the vaccine not providing complete influenza immunity, it does succeed in curbing the severity of the illness. She also pointed out that many people have been observed to neglect preventative measures against diseases in the post-COVID-19 era. Therefore, she emphasized on the need to maintain these measures diligently such as regular handwashing, disinfecting commonly touched surfaces, avoiding touching face, self-isolation when unwell, and public mask wearing if symptomatic.
For those contracting the flu, Miller suggests seeking counsel from their healthcare provider for testing or antiviral medication advice.