Flu causes Jessamine schools to close for rest of the week

So many teachers in the Jessamine County Schools district have the flu that school officials have decided to cancel school Thursday and Friday, a post on the district Facebook page said.

Kentucky’s flu activity level has been designated as widespread, state health officials reported earlier this month, and it is continuing to record reports of illness.

The flu has had a significant impact on both student and staff attendance, school officials said in the post, and “the high number of staff absent due to illness has made it difficult to ensure that classes are covered and that students are sufficiently supervised.”

The post continues by saying that the schools will close “in order to provide the recommended four days of separation to slow the transmission of the flu and to allow students and staff additional time to recover.” In addition to its daily flu protocol cleaning process, school officials will also use the time to deep clean and disinfect our buildings.

The district is using two non-traditional instruction days in which students will learn from home and teachers will be available.

School is scheduled back in session January 28.

Fayette County Public Schools remained in session, but district spokeswoman Lisa Deffendall said “as is normal for this time of year, we are seeing increased absences in our schools.”

Kevin Hall, a spokesman for the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department, said the department has had reports of the flu and flu-like illnesses. He said it’s important for parents to keep “sick kids home to avoid spreading it in the schools.“

State health officials continue to encourage everyone to get the flu vaccine, particularly children 6 months and older and those at high risk for complications related to the flu.

This story was originally published January 23, 2019 at 4:04 PM.