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WAKE COUNTY, NC (WNCN) – Since Friday, schools in Wake County have been affected by flu cases at Holly Grove Elementary School.
They did not give us the exact number of cases, but Wake County Human Services is studying the issue.
Arisa Fulmer is a nurse at Rex Express Care of Cary. She says that this weekend they have had more than 75 flu tests. She is now in a mad rush to replenish herself.
"I only have one box, so three boxes of 24 have gone since Friday," Fulmer said. "I am now panicked and I call them to leave me three more boxes at night."
In January of this year, 1,018 influenza tests were administered by the five Wake County Rex Express Care Centers. Of these, 315 were positive. During the first four days of February, they had 295 tests and 143 were positive.
"The number of flu visits has gone from 30% to 50% to 60% over the past few days," said Dr. Jeffrey Keil at Rex Express Care of Cary.
Keil says that many of their patients are children of school age.
"It really seems to sit around schools," Keil said. "It seems to have been incubated there and then the kids are bringing it home, so just go to school and pbad it to each other."
The best way to prevent the flu is of course the vaccine. If you have not figured it out yet, it's not too late, but it takes two weeks to shoot.
Wake County Public Schools states that if your child has the flu, keep it at home. The school also requires that your child not have a fever for 24 hours without medication before returning to school.
The following letter was sent to the parents of students at Holly Grove Elementary School:
Holly Grove Elementary Parents,
Like me, I know that many of you are worried about the number of children who complain of flu-like symptoms and we have a lot of students missing today. We continue to monitor the situation and are working closely with Wake County Human Services and its Communicable Disease Division.
Following the county recommendation on Friday, in my weekly email, I explained how you could help our school get back on the road to healing, for example by encouraging your student to wash their hands frequently and cough on the back. We also ask all students with flu-like symptoms to stay home until they are free of fever, without medication, for at least 24 hours.
Although this is not mandatory, we have also taken additional measures at school to minimize the spread of germs. Our staff has increased the frequency and thoroughness of the cleaned surfaces in the school.
We appreciate the support and guidance of Wake County Human Services and the
Communicable Disease Division. We remain in close contact with them and will continue to follow their recommendations for our school. I will also continue to communicate directly with you by providing you with any new information shared by the Department of Health.
Thank you for your continued support of Holly Grove Elementary School.
Sarah Simmons – Director
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