Dozens of districts have had to temporarily close schools to stop the spread of common respiratory illnesses that are spreading at unusually high levels this winter.
Even when schools haven鈥檛 closed, more and more students have reported to the nurse鈥檚 office or not attended school because of fevers, aches, pains, and trouble breathing. Those are all hallmark symptoms of the flu, a disease with this season, which is .
In some cases, such a large number of students and staff have fallen ill that entire schools have had to close or switch to virtual learning for several days.
It鈥檚 a complex decision for district leaders, who understand the value of instruction time in students鈥� academic progress, especially in recent years as achievement scores on standardized assessments have continued to slide. But they also know that schools are hotbeds for disease, and can serve as key transmission locations throughout the entire community if not addressed.
In late January, the ,鈥� prompting the district of fewer than 3,000 students to shut down for multiple days to allow time for recovery and to sanitize buildings and buses.
While an extreme example, the Godley district is far from alone.
The trend has stretched across the country as respiratory illnesses have reached full force, including in ; Iowa, where of nearly 25 percent; and , where had to close last week.
Some schools that have closed to temporarily to avoid fully missing instructional time.
鈥淭his flu season seems to be hitting a bit harder than it did last year,鈥� said Kate King, president of the National Association of School Nurses and a school nurse in Columbus, Ohio.
Schools should encourage vaccinations and remind families about health guidelines
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there have been at least 24 million illnesses, 310,000 hospitalizations, and 13,000 deaths from flu so far this season, which runs through the fall and winter and typically peaks between December and February. Fifty-seven of the deaths have been among children, including 10 , according to the most recent CDC data.
One likely factor contributing to the increase in flu cases is that there has been a decline in flu vaccinations this season compared to the last, King said, . Many recorded cases have been confirmed to be the same variant that a flu vaccine protects against, she added.
There鈥檚 still time to get the vaccine, she said, and schools can help by setting up vaccination clinics on site through partnerships with the local health department or health care providers. Those clinics could be open to students and their families, staff, and the broader community to help keep infections down, King said.
It鈥檚 especially useful for students and staff, who can just walk down to the cafeteria or gymnasium during a break in their day, get their vaccination, and go back to class without missing important instructional time.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important to think about how we can help people get those vaccines without interrupting too much of their lives,鈥� King said. 鈥淭hen people are more likely to do it, and if we can get those vaccination rates up, that鈥檚 great.鈥�
Schools can also send reminders to parents via email or newsletters about when it鈥檚 necessary to keep kids home from school鈥攊f they have a fever, vomit, or have diarrhea, among other symptoms鈥攁nd remind them it鈥檚 important to not send their children in if they have symptoms of contagious illnesses, King said.
Parents oftentimes aren鈥檛 sure when it鈥檚 OK to keep their children home, especially if symptoms are mild, and 鈥渇eel a lot of pressure鈥� to make sure their kids are at school as often as possible, King said.
Schools should develop and frequently share clear with parents, especially during cold and flu season, she said.
鈥淲e want children to be in school when possible, but we also want to encourage parents to keep their children home when they鈥檙e sick so they don鈥檛 affect other people at school,鈥� King said.
Teachers are getting sick, too
It鈥檚 not just students feeling the heat of a nasty flu season鈥攖eachers and other school staff are taking a hit, too.
In Ohio, the Clark-Shawnee Local School District closed all of its buildings one day due to illnesses that prevented them from maintaining sufficient staffing, . One school in Tennessee for sick staff members as a reason for closing for four days earlier this month.
It鈥檚 no surprise鈥�experts say teachers are both uniquely vulnerable to, and can have more resilience to, seasonal bugs. Teachers face a mountain of stress, which can reduce their immune system鈥檚 ability to ward off illnesses, and they鈥檙e exposed to all kinds of bugs in the classroom.
Compared to other professions, teachers are more likely to work through illness鈥攁nd many teachers also say they don鈥檛 feel empowered to take their available sick leave.
Experts say teachers should ensure their routine vaccinations remain up to date and take a little extra time to clean frequently touched surfaces in their classrooms.
