Flu forces school to close for day

It’s widespread across county

WESTTOWN » The flu season has hit Chester County so hard, that one school closed its doors Monday.

So many students were sick that Ss. Simon and Jude School, in Westtown, closed for the day,

Monday.

It was normal at the West Chester Area School District. WCASD Superintendent Dr. Jim Scanlon reported that recent absences are “very typical” and “not terrible for us.

“There are fewer kids out then six weeks ago,” Scanlon said during a phone interview.

The superintendent stressed that not all students are out sick. Some take family vacations and other students attend competitions. Absentee rates tend to run higher on Mondays and Fridays.

On Monday, 11 of 500 kids at Penn Wood Elementary and 73 of 1,300 at East High School were absent.

On Monday the rate ran from 3.8 to 7.5 percent, for a districtwide average of 5.5 percent.

On Friday the district rate ran from 3.8 to 8.2 percent for a 5.73 percent average.

Scanlon said that when rates reach 10 to 12 percent, “that can be a lot of kids.”

Although confirmed influenza illnesses decreased from the previous week, the Chester County Health Department counted 290 cases of the flu from Feb. 9-15.

The health department has been surveying flu for the season starting on Sept. 29 and running to May 16.

While flu activity has decreased in Pennsylvania, the code word for the geographic spread is still “widespread” which is the highest on a scale of five levels.

A total of 1,871 hospitalizations and 54 deaths have been reported in the state as of Feb. 15. One Chester County resident recently died from flu-like symptoms.

Flu can be spread through the air.

Mike Maglio is Disease, Investigation and Surveillance Coordi

nator at the Chester County Health Department.

“If you cough and release respiratory droplets into the air, you can transmit the virus,” Maglio said. “The best way to prevent spreading illness to others is to avoid close contact.

“When you are sick, keep your distance from others to keep them from getting sick.”

It’s not too late during the current flu season to receive the vaccine.

“Still, the best way to prevent illness is to get your flu shot,” Maglio said.

You can call the health department at 610-3446225 or your primary care physician to receive the vaccine.