Flu cases empty schools, fill hospitals
EUGENE, Ore.---At schools across Oregon, the flu season is striking early and striking hard. Many schools are reporting high numbers of absences due to suspected swine flu cases, and some confirmed swine flu cases.
“Several kids have been out of her classroom,” Maryanne Goff said. Her granddaughter Kennedy Grace attends Willagillespie Elementary in Eugene.
Goff is one of many parents at the school worried about this flu season.
“We wash our hands of course, a million times,” Goff said.
Across the parking lot Sondra Green has already had one close call with the H1N1 Flu. “My daughter got really sick and we thought she did have it, because we were in contact with it.”
The Green family attended a wedding that put them in contact with a sick person.
“She got really, really sick and I did not take her to the doctor till near the end of it, and then the doctor said she probably had it.” Green said.
“I would say overall, district wide it is higher than normal,” Laurie Rowe, a 17 year veteran school nurse said Natalia’s story is becoming more common.
Across the state swine flu like symptoms are emptying schools and filling hospital rooms.
Rowe said the flu comes fast and strong. “I might take their temperature early in the day when they aren’t feeling good and then two hours later I take it again and they have a temperature of 101.5,” Rowe said.
Health officials remind us to wash our hands regularly and stay home if you think you are becoming sick.
Oregon will be getting about 700,000 H1N1 Vaccines by the end of November. Health officials said in a press conference Friday that everyone who wants a vaccine will eventually get one.
More to Explore
Learn about changes coming to commenting