EVERETT, Wash. — Northshore Christian Academy in Everett closed on Friday due to increased flu cases among students and a staffing shortage. This decision was communicated to families through an email citing a “medical day.”
Dr. George Diaz at Providence Everett noted that the flu season in Snohomish County is currently at its peak, which is not surprising given the congregated settings of schools.
He emphasized that, when children exhibit flu symptoms, they should remain at home to prevent further transmission.
The closure at Northshore Christian Academy is part of a broader trend as flu cases rise in the region.
“Children tend to be in settings that are congregated and so there’s likely more rapid transmission in school-aged children,” said Dr. Diaz.
If your child has the flu or symptoms of the flu, they should stay home and avoid transmitting it within their school and to other kids."
Additionally, Dr. Diaz expressed concern over declining vaccination rates among children.
“We strongly recommend folks to follow the standard vaccination schedule, which includes yearly vaccination for flu, but unfortunately, we have seen a decline in vaccination numbers across our footprint,” he said. “That goes for young students too; we’ve seen a decrease in vaccinations in all of our communities.”
Snohomish County is also grappling with a measles outbreak linked to lowered vaccination rates.
Dr. Diaz explained that this outbreak has caused local transmission, which ties back to the ongoing issues with vaccination.
“What we’ve seen here is that there’s been local transmission in the local outbreak and this is also related to decreasing vaccine rates,” Diaz said.
The school will continue to monitor the flu situation and staff availability before deciding on further closures or resumption of normal activities.
Additional recommendations regarding flu vaccinations and preventive measures are expected from health officials in the coming weeks.