GREAT FALLS — Great Falls Public Schools have been hit hard with the cold and flu in the last couple of weeks.
The schools start paying attention when absentee numbers reach five percent. They have been over five percent for the last couple of weeks, with some schools hitting 10 percent.
The schools are mostly seeing cold and flu-like symptoms, as well as Strep Throat.
Erica Harp, lead school nurse for GFPS said, “We do tend to see spikes in absences after large gatherings. It could be something like a PTA night, or any like, community event. And so just kind of riding the wave.”
The school nurses department is always in contact with the Health Department to stay on top of illnesses, and they want to remind parents to keep sick kids at home until they are fever free for 24 hours without medicine.
Based on recent numbers, they are optimistic that absentee numbers will go down soon.
