Nurses at the health center work on their computers while no students are in need of their help. Registered nurse Amy Fletchall said, “Our main focus at this point in the school year is seeing students because of the increase in flu and virus illness activity.”

Registered nurse Amy Fletchall said common winter illnesses are increasing here.

“The flu is going around, along with Covid and other viral illnesses,” she said. “Our main focus at this point in the school year is seeing students because of the increase in flu and virus illness activity.”

Junior Maya Nakar said she is aware of the illnesses spreading around the school and believes they are caused by the seasons.

She said, “During the change in seasons, everyone is sick. I remember this one week where I could feel people coughing on me and there wasn’t a single second where I couldn’t hear someone sneezing or coughing. Overall, the (illnesses) tend to fluctuate where either everyone is sick or it’s a very few amount of the students.”

Fletchall said she understands the limits the health center has when it comes to caring for students. 

“We assess the students based on symptoms they report. (A) fever (of) 100.4 is the district’s guideline for sending students home, but we look at all symptoms to determine whether students are well enough to remain at school. Nurses are required to speak with a parent or guardian before sending students home due to illness,” she said. 

https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/04/health/flu-rsv-virus-activity-ramps-up