Area public schools see some flu-related absenteeism

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Officials from some area schools say there has not been exorbitantly high absenteeism for this time of year in their student populations or staff due to the flu or flu-like illnesses.

Two Trumbull County superintendents say the flu has hit their schools, but not at historically high levels.

Bob Wilson, superintendent of Lakeview schools in Cortland and Bazetta Township, said absenteeism has been in the 7 percent range over about the past week, but it appeared to be lower Thursday.

“I think we’re over the hump,” he said, adding that absenteeism outside of the flu season is normally near 3 to 4 percent.

“Was it higher than normal for a while? Yes it was. It never reached a critical mass, an abnormal level,” he said.

Kevin Spicher, Howland schools superintendent, said his school district has not been “impacted heavily yet,” but after becoming aware of the flu becoming an issue in certain areas, the district initiated additional sanitary measures beginning Monday involving classrooms, desks, door pulls and bathrooms.

Data from the Ohio Department of Health show Mahoning and Trumbull counties had the highest number of influenza-related hospitalizations in Ohio during the current flu season, each with 20.

The data measured hospitalizations from Oct. 2 to Jan. 14.

Sandy Swann, director of nursing for the Trumbull County Combined Health District, said the trend of flu moving from eastern Ohio in a southwesterly direction seems to be holding true this year with the east-central region having the most influenza-related hospitalizations so far.

Swann said the number here appears to be “starting to decline.”

A Warren schools spokesman said the district seems to have a lot of sick children and adults, but illness-related school call-offs are forwarded to the Warren Health Department, which keeps track of it and notifies the school district. A call to the Warren Health Department nursing supervisor Thursday was not returned.

Canfield schools Superintendent Alex Geordan said the district does not have an unusual number of students out with confirmed cases of the flu.

“Ultimately the decision to stay home is in the hands of the parents; however, we encourage our students to stay home if they are ill. Their safety is always our first priority. Schoolwork can always be made up,” he said.

Likewise, Austintown schools officials say the flu has not had a huge impact on attendance, but they have been seeing more students in the school nurse’s office with flu-like symptoms.

Poland schools report a situation similar to other districts.

“Actually, for this far into the flu season, it’s been fairly mild. I have seen on the U.S. Centers for Disease Prevention and Control [web]site that the number of cases are starting to increase, but we haven’t seen it here yet,” said Cathy Fedor, school nurse for Poland Seminary High School, Dobbins Elementary and North Preschool.

Fedor said that while a stomach virus has been going around, only one case of respiratory influenza has been reported to her this season.