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Watauga County Schools Continues To Monitor Instances of Flu, Taking Preventative Measures

Watauga County Schools is continuing to monitor instances of flu in the district after the North Carolina Department of Human Health and Services reported a statewide spike in the illness earlier this week. Absences due to illness have been reported in pockets across the system but are declining as the week ends.

Earlier this week, WCS nurses issued information to faculty and staff to help mitigate the spread of illness through preventative measures. Maintenance and custodial staff across the district have increased efforts to disinfect facilities, while the WCS Transportation Department is working to disinfect school buses.

To help prevent the spread of the flu, please consider taking the following steps:

  • Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
  • If you are sick with flu-like illness, stay home from work/school.
  • While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.
  • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
  • Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu.

Watauga County Schools Superintendent Dr. Scott Elliott said that concentrated effort was being made at every school in the district to ensure that all possible measures of prevention were being met for both staff and students.

For more information, visit flu.nc.gov and see the attached for information on how to identify flu symptoms.