A total of 237 students, or almost a fifth of Old Kings Elementary’s 1,270 students, were absent Friday, four times as many absences as are recorded on a typical day, with no fewer than 54 students sent home after developing gastrointestinal or flu-like symptoms.
“It is significant, there was an outbtreak, no doubt about it,” Flagler County Health Department Administrator Robert Snyder said this morning. As the day wore on, Old Kings’ school nurse was grappling with still more flu cases. The day had started more promisingly than Friday, with eight students being sent home by late morning, but by 2 o’clock, that number had climbed to 35, and could be higher by school day’s end. The total number of absences for the day at the school would not be available until much later today or tomorrow morning. Seven teachers were absent today at Old Kings.
But the outbreak appears limited to Old Kings Elementary, with no other school reporting similar spikes, Snyder said. The county at large has its share of flu cases, but the rolling average has been holding steady at around 170 people over 42-day periods, which is neither unusual nor of special concern at this time of year.
The absence of 237 students at Old Kings on Friday does not mean that all 237 were ill: that’s simply the total number of students who were either sent home or did not go to school that day. It may include students on vacation, having various appointments, or simply being kept at home for precautionary measures. But given the trend, the number is almost unquestionably related to the flu outbreak and reflects at least a sizable number of students kept home because of illness: On December 8, the total number of absences had been 107, suggesting that the outbreak was picking up momentum. A week earlier, the total number of absences was at 60, which is the high end of the average number of absences on a typical day–40 to 60 students, according to Jason Wheeler, the school district’s chief spokesman.
The district and the health department have been working together to implement a new protocol on how to address such outbreaks, with a combination of information and stepped up cleaning protocols at school and on school buses.
“It’s a thorough deep cleaning, as far as disinfecting and that kind of stuff goes,” Wheeler said, “above and beyond what they normally go through.”
“They are doing a tremendous job from our standpoint, being very conscientious, with cleaning,” Snyder said of the new protocol in place at schools.
The word to parents is simple: “Keep your children home when they’re sick, isolate them from other children, isolate them from school to make sure that at least for 24 hours there’s no symptoms showing,” Snyder said.
Student Absences Reported Last Two Fridays
| School | Absent on Friday, Dec. 8 | Absent on Friday, Dec. 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Bunnell Elementary | ||
| Belle Terre Elementary | ||
| Rymfire Elementary | ||
| Old Kings Elementary | ||
| Wadsworth Elementary | ||
| Buddy Taylor Middle | ||
| Indian Trails Middle | ||
| Flagler Palm Coast High | ||
| Matanzas Hifgh |
An infected child means that the infection can and will spread quickly in a relatively closed environment with a concentrated population. Once an outbreak develops, it has to run its course beyond what preventive measures can be taken. “It’s just so difficult to get it out of the school in a very timely manner, and that’s the message we’re giving the parent at Old Kings as well as all over our schools,” Wheeler said.
Students who have to be sent home are kept at the nurse’s office until a parent or guardian is able to get to the school. Sometimes a parent is held up at work or working in a different county, making an immediate pick-up difficult. “This is why we stress to parents the need to have more than one emergency contact person on file with the school,” Wheeler said. “Every effort will be made to contact those on that list if a student shows signs of illness while on campus. If no one can pick that student up, the child will be kept with the school nurse and made comfortable until a parent or guardian can get the child.” He added: “Also, there is a 24-hour period for a child to remain out of school if they get sick during the school day. If teachers and staff find a student returns early, the parent will be called and asked to take their child home.”
Exact numbers for the rest of the state were not immediately available, but Snyder said the flu is going around Florida. “last week was a rough week.” But he stressed that as far as Flagler County is concerned, and Old Kings aside, there is no significant, unusual spike. Flagler’s numbers (that running total of 170-odd cases) are a reflection of all patients who go to hospitals or urgent care centers in the county or out of the county, and report their home to be in Flagler.
At Old Kings, there’ll be a built-in end day to the outbreak: schools go on their Christmas break at the end of day Thursday, not to return until Jan. 8.
jugaloom says
Custodial staff needs to focus on better cleaning habits!
Anonymous says
Isn’t it amazing that this was not on our local news to let all of us know? I agree with jugaloom—-the custodial staff needs to focus on better cleaning habits—or in other words, start doing your jobs! When I go in public buildings I am astonished that the basic custodial needs are NOT being met. The bathrooms are not as clean as they should be, dirt along the woodwork, dirt and marks on the walls, the outside of the building have cobb webs, bugs and algae, windows are not clean and the sidewalks and walk ways are just plain nasty! I also notice that the handicap parking areas are not predominately marked and neglected. These city council members, commissioners and administrators see this on a daily basis and do nothing but turn their heads! These buildings are our investment and should be well taken care of and maintained. There is no need for carpet in schools–who ever thought this was a good idea is out of their mind and wasted our tax dollars!
T.J. says
I went there and the custodians do their job. it was most likely the hamburgers.. those things are pink on the inside.
Jenn says
If you look at the attendance at all the schools you will see that there is a major outbreak of some kind of bug going around. I don’t think everybody at all the schools they all had burgers. how do you know the custodians are not doing their job? Let’s just hope all the kids get better instead of pointing fingers at a custodian, and no I do not work for the schools nor do I have a family member that does just sick of people pointing fingers.
Just Saying says
Parents need to learn to keep their kids home when showing signs of illness and keep them isolated. I see kids being brought out by their parents while they are sick, of course not everyone has the luxury of staying home from work with a sick child but make arrangements for someone to be home with them. Do not bring them out, don’t bring them to day care or to school. As for the teens, don’t allow them to go out and hang out or be around others that are ill. I see plenty of teens running around sick and their parents don’t put their foot down. You are the parent, not the child. Sanitize and disinfect your home daily so as not to spread it to others in the household. Wash your hands and teach your kids proper hygiene practices and teach them to cough or sneeze into their arm rather than hand. Stop always blaming the schools. The first line of defense
starts at home. Everything to do with our children starts at home!!!
jvh says
School buses need to be cleaned by custodial staff. Many have mold issues because so much of the bus fleet is so old. A large percentage over 10 years old. In florida that means a lot of mold because the buses sit unoccupied and unairconditioned 18 hours a day. A real great place for mold and bugs.
AnotherBitesTheDust says
Hum? Flu outbreak? If this happens on a cruise ship it definitely wouldn’t be called a flu outbreak. Something does not sound right. I have no kids in school but hopefully parents are demanding/requesting copies from the State Department of Health their findings.