Pell City Schools were back in business Monday, and steps have already been taken to reduce chances of new flu cases being brought from home.While cases of students being out of school peaked just before the holiday break, prevention is the key to reducing chances for flu and other bugs, Assistant Schools Superintendent Michael Barber said.
So far at least, prevention measures have kept the flu at bay, Barber said.
"It hasn't been a hard hit like it was in the past, but we did see more students out right before the holidays," he said. "A lot of those absences seemed to be due to a pretty bad cold strain more than the flu."
Prevention measures include sending students home when they have a fever of more than 100.6 or substantiated flu symptoms, Barber said.
"Basically, we just try to have our nurses check them out and make sure they don't have fever or flu symptoms," Barber said.
Also, during any break from school, classrooms, lunchrooms and other school areas are disinfected to kill germs, he said.
"We do a little more of a deeper cleaning when the students are out, but we also do that on a daily basis in the classrooms," he said.
All 50 states have reported at least some presence of flu, with at least 43 reporting a widespread flu outbreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Flu statistics for Alabama were not available Monday.
Because of overwhelming demand, flu vaccinations are not available now from most health departments statewide, with a promise of only 1,400 doses expected to come from the federal government, said Winkler Sims, spokesman for the Alabama Department of Health.
More than 200,000 flu shots have been given this season, Sims said, wiping out the entire supply the department had ordered for the season.
"We ordered a larger quantity of vaccine for this season than ever before," Winkler said. "While we are pleased the public has responded by getting their immunizations earlier, we regret there are not enough doses for everyone who wishes to receive them."
Vaccine may still be available from a private doctor, Sims said.
In Alabama, the flu season typically peaks in January or February, Sims said. During that time one of the best ways to prevent the flu, which is caused by a virus, is to wash hands frequently.
In addition to disinfecting student areas, Sims said parents should keep their children home if they have fever. After having a fever, children should not be allowed to go back to school until fever-free for at least 24 hours, Sims said.
