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What's the prognosis? Rising number of students out sick
Gargoyle photo by Stephanie Overmier (click to enlarge)Feeling under the weather, subfreshman Aileen Chu waits in the main office today. Thirty-six students were absent due to illness today, representing some 12 percent of the student body. That's up from 21 on Monday and an average of 10 in September.
Published: Tuesday, October 20, 2009 - 6:02pm
URBANA — English teachers today handed out packets of information giving details about the optional swine flu vaccinations that will be given at Uni sometime in early to mid-November. The vaccination could not have come at a better time.
Uni has long been preparing for the possibility of a swine flu outbreak, but as of yet has not seen anything that can be qualified as such. However, the number of students who call in sick or leave school early due to illness has been rising, and it is possible that Uni is finally getting its share of the flu.
On Monday, 21 students were absent for at least part of the day due to illness, according to attendance figures provided by the main office. That was up from an average of 10 per day in September.
Today, the number rose to 36, or about 12 percent of the student body. It is not certain whether any of those students went home for swine flu, but there is definitely something going around.
For those who were at Uni in 2007, this may seem reminiscent of the sickness that went around in late January.
Between Jan. 25 and 31 of that year, an average of 34 students were absent due to illness. At the outbreak's height, 52 students were absent (Jan. 30). By comparison, only five to 10 students are out sick on a typical day.
According to Assistant Director Sue Kovacs, if the sickness going around escalates into an outbreak, it is possible that school would be shut down for a while. As the Gargoyle reported earlier this year, teachers have been encouraged to look into ways to teach outside of the classroom, in the case that school is closed. Additionally, school may need to continue into June to make up for the lost days.
"I think we're in for a hard rest of October, November, December, and January," said Kovacs.
Comments
So it isnt just me...
Wow 12% of the students... guess im not alone being sick...
missng u
GIBBY!!!!!!!!I MISS YOU!!!!!!!!!!!GET WELL SOON!!!!!!!!!!LUVIES!!!!!!!!!
Poor AILEEN!!!! Look at her
Poor AILEEN!!!! Look at her pic!! I hope everyone gets better. Everything is getting canceled because of the sickness. :(
Hey everyone who's sick...
GET WELL SOON, EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Closing School
while closing the school may sound like a good option since it gets everyone out of a close environment, officials have actually found that it DOES NOT help because (and this may not happen at uni, but at many other schools this is what would happen) everyone who feels fine will go to the mall or get together with friends and totally go against the reason why school closed in the first place. So, while the teachers should consider a plan, just sending homke all sick students is probably the best idea.
Closing School Part Two
But so many people are gone that it is very hard to deal with the make-ups and the catch-ups in terms of both work and learning. If the teachers have to teach the same thing multiple times, wouldn't it be better to wait until our population is restored to its natural bountifulness?
Waiting until our population is restored...
...and when will that be? Unfortunately, we may not be at the peak right now. If 30% are sick today, and we close the school until those 30% get better, then the next 30% might be sick, so I guess we'd better stay closed until THOSE get better. But wait, there is yet ANOTHER 30%, so let's stay closed several more days.
I sincerely hope that our sick students recover quickly, and that our healthy students remain so. As powerful as SuperMom (Mrs. Kovacs) is, she can't wave a magic wand and make everyone get better in a few days. The Centers for Disease Control recommends, with good reason, that schools NOT close. Adam mentioned part of their reasoning in his comment.
Yes, as a teacher it is a hassle to deal with the make-up process. I'm sure it is for students, too (believe it or not!). I, for one, would rather not have to... but I will, because it's the right thing to do. I will work with students in whatever way I need to; it might mean modifying some assignments, changing my grading scheme, or some other adaptation. The article mentions an average of 5-10 students out each day, for a variety of reasons... college visits, early dismissal for athletics, field trips, illness. Some of these absences last several days, and we always have to deal with the make-up situation. Dealing with students who take extra vacation time around holidays and winter or spring break is a hassle.
Taking a few days (or a few weeks) off from school now might sound like a good idea--but I suspect that, when we have had to move final exams and graduation to the end of June, I'm we'd be regretting the "vacation."
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