Flu-like symptoms knocking students out of P.E.I. schools

The P.E.I. Public Schools Branch is reporting higher than normal absence rates this week, and it's blaming flu-like symptoms.

"[It's]not any particular family [of schools], not any particular age group, just different pockets of schools that are reporting some higher absences than normal," said Erin Johnston, assistant director of public schools with the Public Schools Branch.

She says right now, the illness is affecting less than half a dozen schools.

Doctors are reporting this year's flu is hitting children harder than normal. That is the case on P.E.I., and it has been worse in the past few weeks.

"Although it starts in the fall, it's really been in the last couple of weeks that we've seen a bigger increase in the number of lab-confirmed influenza cases," said Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison.

"Lab-confirmed cases just mean it's circulating more widely in the community and that would certainly reflect what we're seeingin the schools."

Morrison said so far in Janurary there have been three schools with outbreaks of confirmed flu or flu-like illness. A situation is considered an outbreak at a school when more than 10 per cent of the students are absent.

The Public Schools Branch says custodial staff have been sanitizing high-traffic areas such as washrooms, doorknobs, desks more frequently.

Parents are being asked to talk to their children about good hand washing practices and about reducing the spread of germs by covering their mouths when coughing and sneezing.

They are also being encouraged to keep their children home if they are exhibiting flu-like symptoms.

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