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Muscle Shoals schools battling H1N1 flu
Posted: Aug 25, 2009 6:19 PM
Updated: Aug 25, 2009 6:29 PM
By Josh Ault
MUSCLE SHOALS, AL (WAFF) - The swine slu has hit a Shoals school system earlier than expected.
Sunday administrators with Muscle Shoals City Schools found out a high school student had tested positive for the virus.
Muscle Shoals City School teachers are taking extra time to clean their rooms. This includes wiping down the student's desk each day.
"This was something on our 7th grade supply list," explained Amy Stutts, a 7th grade teacher at Muscle Shoals Middle School. Stutts showed what students were asked to bring this year. This included items like disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizers. They are glad they added these to the list.
"I just got an e-mail that says a 4th grader tested positive," said Kelley Word, Muscle Shoals City Schools lead school nurse.
Word said six high school students have tested positive for H1N1 flu.
"Prevention is what we are emphasizing to our parents and students," she said.
The school system has done several things to make sure the flu does not spread. This includes buying more disinfectants and preparing to have a vaccination clinic when that become available.
Word says students still need to come to school if they are healthy, but encourages students to stay home if they have symptoms like fever, coughing, and muscle aches.
"They need to be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications," said Word.
More than 50 students from the middle school were absent Tuesday, while 124 students were out sick from the high school. That is 15 percent of the total student body.
"We were prepared for it to happen," added Word. "Didn't expect it to happen quite so fast."
The swine flu vaccine will not be available until October.
?2009 WAFF. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Posted: Aug 25, 2009 6:19 PM
Updated: Aug 25, 2009 6:29 PM
By Josh Ault
MUSCLE SHOALS, AL (WAFF) - The swine slu has hit a Shoals school system earlier than expected.
Sunday administrators with Muscle Shoals City Schools found out a high school student had tested positive for the virus.
Muscle Shoals City School teachers are taking extra time to clean their rooms. This includes wiping down the student's desk each day.
"This was something on our 7th grade supply list," explained Amy Stutts, a 7th grade teacher at Muscle Shoals Middle School. Stutts showed what students were asked to bring this year. This included items like disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizers. They are glad they added these to the list.
"I just got an e-mail that says a 4th grader tested positive," said Kelley Word, Muscle Shoals City Schools lead school nurse.
Word said six high school students have tested positive for H1N1 flu.
"Prevention is what we are emphasizing to our parents and students," she said.
The school system has done several things to make sure the flu does not spread. This includes buying more disinfectants and preparing to have a vaccination clinic when that become available.
Word says students still need to come to school if they are healthy, but encourages students to stay home if they have symptoms like fever, coughing, and muscle aches.
"They need to be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications," said Word.
More than 50 students from the middle school were absent Tuesday, while 124 students were out sick from the high school. That is 15 percent of the total student body.
"We were prepared for it to happen," added Word. "Didn't expect it to happen quite so fast."
The swine flu vaccine will not be available until October.
?2009 WAFF. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
