Flu- 1 Badin- 0

By Gracie Combs

Have you gotten your flu shot yet? If not, you might want to get it soon, because we are finally in flu season.

The flu is an illness that a lot of students at Badin are experiencing now. However, other illnesses seem to follow some students around as well.

Most students seem to have contracted the flu virus. The flu is very contagious so many people who do have it should follow the advice from Mrs. Schmitt, the school nurse, and Mr. Browning, the health and gym teacher. In an interview, Browning said that having a flu shot can help with preventing the flu.

“I do recommend washing your hands before you eat or after using the bathroom. But hand sanitizer is good to use but it can kill off both the good and bad germs,” Browning said.

During the interview, Browning also said to drink a lot of fluids. Browning also would recommend getting plenty of sleep, and to avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose. He also said to manage your stress, as being stressed out can cause lack of sleep, fatigue and will leave you susceptible to illnesses.

In case you do have the flu, the best thing to do is stay home and go get checked out at a clinic. Coming to school can spread it to other students and teachers.

“The flu can be very contagious to the people around you. When you are sick, you also feel tired and it can be hard to focus during the school day. So I would recommend staying at home until you haven’t had a fever or have minimum coughing and sneezing,” Mrs. Schmitt said.

The flu can be difficult to push through. Most people who have the flu suffer from headaches, chills, fatigue, a fever and body aches. Doctors would recommend that you stay at home for at least two to four days if you do test positive for the flu.

Both Schmitt and Browning recommend getting the vitamins C, E, and B6 in your system. These can help boost your immune system. You can also cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough, with your elbow and not your hands. This way, if you go to touch something, your germs will not spread onto that object.

For students, if you do feel two or more of the symptoms listed above, you should come see the nurse. The earlier any illness is detected the less likely it is to spread around the school. This past week, the nurses have seen and sent home a lot of students with symptoms of the flu.

Schmitt says this has been the highest amount of kids she and the other nurses have sent home all year. At the beginning of the week, an estimate of 23 percent of students were absent due to illness. Most students have returned back to school since then but some have also contracted the virus.

At the end of the day, we should all take extra care during this week and the next few days. So if you do catch the flu or have symptoms related to the flu, stay home or go to a clinic to be tested. Don’t forget to wash your hands and stay healthy.