Local schools seeing less illness, continue to stress healthy habits

MIAMI VALLEY — After multiple schools closed due to illness on Friday, attendance is picking back up as fewer students and staff are staying home sick.

Centerville City Schools was one of school districts that was closed Friday, but has since seen an improvement in attendance.

>> RELATED: Multiple area schools close Friday due to staff, student absences

“At Centerville High School, for example, absences are about half what they were last week,” said Sarah Swan, community relations specialist for the district.

Springboro Community Schools saw at least four cases of whooping cough, also known as pertussis, toward the end of 2019.

While the district officials reported a “significant decrease” in the amount of cases at the Springboro schools, there are still positive cases being reported in the area, according to a letter recently sent out by the district.

Miamisburg City School District reported three to five cases of whooping cough this school year. Their attendance is still good with about 95% of students present.

Despite the decrease in illness at schools, Dan Suffletto, Public Health Dayton and Montgomery County public information supervisor, said the county is seeing more cases of whooping cough and the flu.

“Right now we are seeing a trend down in the flu cases related to hospitalizations, but people are still sick who are not going to the hospital,” he said.

While there are germs everywhere, Suffletto said the flu in particular can be spread easily, especially among children at school.

>> RELATED: Whooping cough cases now reported at 3 Springboro schools

“They definitely come into contact with each other a lot more,” he said. “There’s a lot more interaction, a lot more movement so that could also contribute to the spread of the flu.”

Schools are stressing that students, staff and employees continue to practice healthy habits, such covering your mouth while coughing and washing your hands.

“We know we are still in the midst of cold and flu season, so with the help of our school nurses, we are continuing to remind children and families of things like keeping hands washed and staying home when you have a fever,” said Swan. “Our custodial and maintenance staff is still working hard to keep buildings clean and disinfected.”

Springboro schools reminded parents that students should be fever-free with the use of medication for 24 hours before returning to school.

The district also provided the following general health tips:

• 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.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. After using a tissue, throw it in the trash and wash your hands.
• While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

Andi Albright, a mother of two young girls, said her oldest — a 4-year-old in preschool  at World of Love — has been exposed to both strains of flu and strep.
"She's lucked out," she said. "Then my nearly 2-year-old got sick with flu A last weekend, and croup as well."

>> Coronavirus: What we know today about 2 Miami students tested

Albright said she’s paranoid, but remembers “you can’t keep them in a bubble. But it’s terrifying.”

“I am like shoes off at the back door, always hand washing,” she said. “Working in the medical field I see there’s no better defense than clean hands.”

Albright also said she’s been trying to keep their home as clean as possible and try to avoid exposing her girls to anyone who is sick.