Barely a Week into the ‘Season,’ Influenza Shuts Down a School for an Entire Week

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all Americans who are eligible for a flu shot (meaning anyone over the age of 6 months, for the most part) get one before the end of this month. That’s too late to prevent a serious outbreak in Baton Rouge, LA, though, where a school saw 38% of its upper-grade students body stricken with flu-like symptoms. While not all cases were confirmed to be influenza infection, the effect was so severe that the school closed its doors for an entire school week in order to prevent further spread to more students and staff. It was the culmination of 2 weeks of rising absenteeism. While there are no data available indicating how many of the students had already gotten a flu shot, it’s a safe bet the number would be relatively small since the season has barely begun. A local pediatrician took the news as an opportunity to stress that vaccination is the most effective way to lower one’s risk of becoming infected, regardless of age. JUCM just released a special web-exclusive article to help readers prepare for the already-impactful influenza season. You can read Whether You Fail or Prevail Rests on Your Preparedness for Flu Season—Now on our website.