It was about 9:30 a.m. today when 107 students were absent from school. By 12:30 p.m., that number had grown to 120 students.
These numbers were similar to Wednesday’s absentee report, when the number was 108 by 9 a.m. and up to 119 by 1 p.m..
According to the Oklahoma State Department of Health website, flu cases are on the rise, leading to a high risk. Oklahoma’s influenza rate is 25.2 percent over the base line, whereas the Southwest Region, which includes Stephens County, had a rate is 20.3 percent above the base line.
Although there are confirmed cases of the flu in the county, only seven to 10 students absences were confirmed to have been the result of the flu.
Principals are preventing the flu from spreading by taking extra precautions by making custodians clean bathrooms and lockers more and making sure students who are sick are sent home.
In 2018, more than 150 student absences resulted in the school’s closure.
Assistant Principal Tom Brack says about 20 percent of the student population would need to be absent to possibly close the school, but in the end, it would be up to Superintendent Channa Byerly to make the decision.
“If you’re sick, stay home because if you don’t then you’ll spread it to everyone else,” Brack said.
With about 750 students enrolled at DMS, it would take around 150 students being absent to result in another temporary school closure at Duncan Middle School.
Crystal Ford is the nurse for Duncan Middle School. Ford said one of the best ways for students to avoid getting the flu is by washing their hands.
She said some symptoms of the flu include fever, aches and pains, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarreah, and headache.
For more information about the flu, check out the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website.
