KIRKLAND, Wash. — Earlier this year, students at Eastside Preparatory School knew all too well that the flu season was peaking. On Tuesday, they returned to class for the first time since a December flu outbreak. And now, doctors warn all schools of a second flu peak now that students are back.
“We just got all hit at the same time,” said Terry Macaluso, head of Eastside Preparatory School in Kirkland. She made the call to start winter break two days early. More than 20 percent of students were absent with illnesses the week before winter break.
“We kept him home one extra day on the Wednesday as a precaution,” said Jody Ellias, an Eastside Prep parent. Her family stayed healthy despite traveling over the break. “We managed not to catch anything on public transport.”
On Tuesday, Eastside Prep had good attendance.
“Plan worked,” said Macaluso.
But doctors have an ominous warning as students across Western Washington are back in class.
“We may start to see a second peak as kids get together and start to spread the flu again,” said Dr. Holly Phillips, CBS News medical expert.
A Center For Disease Control-funded flu predictor forecasts the flu to peak in Seattle this week and in Bellevue at the end of the month.
Doctors insist that despite this year’s flu vaccine not being as effective as years past, it’s still worth getting a flu shot. They urge you to use good hygiene, wash your hands and cough and sneeze into your elbow.
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