FLU FACTS
HOW IT SPREADS: Most experts believe that flu viruses spread mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby. Less often, a person might also get flu by touching a surface or object that has flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth, eyes or possibly their nose. CONTAGIOUSNESS: You may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick. You can infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to five to seven days after becoming sick. Some people, especially young children and people with weakened immune systems, might be able to infect others for an even longer time. ONSET: The time from when a person is exposed to flu virus to when symptoms begin is about one to four days, with an average of about two days. PREVENTION: The CDC recommends annual flu vaccinations. Also, everyday preventive actions, like staying away from people who are sick, covering coughs and sneezes and frequent hand washing, help slow the spread of germs. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Nurse B.K. Morris gives a flu shot to Winifred Quinn during a press event on the flu vaccine on Sept. 17 in Washington, D.C.Faced with widespread absenteeism among students, teachers and support staff, multiple tri-state area school systems have shut their doors for several days, citing a surge in flu-like illnesses.
Reports of flu appeared to be peaking in late January and early February, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And a map from the CDC shows Tennessee has been one of the states hit hardest.
As a result, Bradley, Marion and Monroe county schools will be closed the rest of the week; Monroe also was closed Friday and Monday. Polk County schools will be closed today after being closed Tuesday; and Rhea County schools were closed Monday and Tuesday. Cleveland schools will close the remainder of the week.
Polk County officials said they were forced to close because of the number of students, teachers and school bus drivers who were ill.
Rhea County reported similar problems.
"Our students' absentee rate was 18.7 percent," said school system director Jerry Levengood. He said students and teachers reported instances of flu, flu-like symptoms, and stomach virus.
Even if students had shown up, there were not enough teachers to hold classes, Levengood said.
"Our number of teachers that were ill exceeded the number of substitute teachers that were available," he said.
Closing Monday and Tuesday gave students and teachers a four-day weekend, "hopefully to get well," Levengood said.
A Tennessee Department of Health official said there aren't any known outbreaks of disease in the state. However, she noted that it is flu season and a number of other illnesses tend to also circulate this time of year.
"It is not too late to get a flu shot," department spokeswoman Shelley Walker said.
Besides recommending a flu shot, state health department officials are urging people to stay home when they are sick, to frequently wash hands with warm, soapy water and to cover their mouths when they cough.
Monroe County cited absences not just among teachers and students but among support staff such as cafeteria workers, as well.
Farther north in Knoxville, the entire Knox County school system was closed Tuesday and planned to reopen Thursday.
Media reports said an additional number of Middle and East Tennessee county school districts have been forced to close, including Anderson, Bedford, Campbell, Grainger, Loudon, Overton, Roane and Scott counties.
But not all school systems were affected.
Walker County, Ga., officials posted a note on the school system's Facebook page saying they were monitoring absenteeism, but so far were not planning on closing.
In Meigs County, Tenn., school system deputy director David Brown said officials are watching the situation closely. Although a couple of teachers are out with the flu, "so far, so good," Brown said.
Hamilton County Schools seemed to be having slightly more reports of illnesses than normal, but no closings were anticipated, spokeswoman Amy Katcher said.
"It would be extreme for our entire system to shut down," she said. "Unless we have an insane amount of flu, we won't close."
She said schools reported 301 absences Monday for medical or flu reasons, about normal.
Katcher said overall numbers for absenteeism appeared to be slightly worse than for the previous two years. But figures varied widely school by school.
"Schools in Chattanooga may be fine, but schools in Apison or Lookout Valley may be hit hard," she said.
If any school principals report an unusual number of absences, custodial staff will make an extra effort to disinfect doorknobs or other areas of the facility that may become contaminated with the flu virus, Katcher said.
The CDC estimates that 15 infants or children have died from the flu thus far in the 2016-2017 season.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Contact staff writer Steve Johnson, 423-757-6673, sjohnson@timesfreepress.com, on Twitter @stevejohnsonTFP, or on Facebook, www.facebook.com/noogahealth.