Each year, flu season in the United States begins sometime in October and lasts about six to seven months, ending in May. Due to this consistent timing, flu season is often overlooked as routine and nothing to be concerned about. This year, however, the disease appears to be especially powerful, and its effects are being felt in South Windsor.
This is the highest intensity of the flu that Connecticut has seen in over 25 years, and teachers are beginning to feel its impact, including English teacher Michael Webb.
“I would absolutely think battling any type of illness that leaves you fatigued would bring additional stress as you are also missing class work as well as exam prep. The anxiety this time of year combined with illness makes for a brutal combination that would leave even the most successful students reeling,” Webb commented.
As Webb says, the timing for the sickness could not be worse as midterms approach, with students at risk of missing key review, or, even worse, an actual test.
“A lot of my friends had makeup tests to do because they missed school as a result of the flu,” South Windsor High School junior James O’Brien said.
O’Brien is witnessing firsthand the effects this historic flu season has had on South Windsor High School, and he’s not the only one.
“I think there were a lot of people out in English yesterday, and even in my other classes. Even before break, there were so many people coughing and sniffling,” junior Emery Forko said. “It’s definitely going around, and I feel like it’s definitely been worse than it has been in the last couple years.”
In addition to the students, school nurses are also observing the disease’s footprint in the building as more and more students find themselves visiting the infirmary.
“We saw quite a few cases of flu or what we think was probably the flu because before they leave our office, they haven’t been tested yet,” school nurse Beth Piantek told The Prowl.
Piantek suggests students get vaccinated for the flu to help combat its spread, though she mentions that the specific strain going around was not included in this year’s vaccination.
However, despite all the havoc this strain has wreaked on South Windsor, Piantek looks at the bright side.
“I don’t feel we have had the numbers of flu cases here in South Windsor High School as high as other school districts have had in other states, so I’m happy for that,” Piantek commented.
Even though this flu season has been exceptionally daunting, we are approaching its final months. Soon, this will be in our rear-view mirror, and we will have emerged stronger, allowing us to be better prepared for next year’s season.
