Many students in Wayne Hills have been getting the flu, with many students sick and absent from classes. This isn’t just a normal case of a one-day absence but rather days or even weeks for some individuals. This “outbreak” started when Wayne received its first snowfall with the temperatures drastically dropping. While the cold weather may have played a role in many students getting ill, some students believe there is another major contribution to the spread – the recent Physics Olympiad.

Many students who attended the Physics Olympiad fell sick afterward, raising concerns about it being a possible source. The Physics Olympiad was a competition that the engineering club participated in. It involved challenges related to physics.

Sophomore Zainab Ghaylan noticed that, “Ms. Sherger got very, severely sick. I, myself, was very sick and could not come for 3 days. Another student was also very sick and could not come to school for one week.” She described her symptoms, stating, “It was bad. People also told me I looked very unwell.”

Sophomore Sarah Hong added, “I think the flu activity level says a lot about the people’s hygiene. My advice is to eat vegetables because I have a friend who did not eat vegetables; she hasn’t been coming to school for the past 2 weeks.”

Other students had differing experiences. Some reported no symptoms, while others said they had been sick for a long time, almost missing two weeks of school. Symptoms such as fever, cough, and fatigue were commonly noted.

Here is what some teachers have to say about the flu outbreaks:

Ms. Logothetis: “I feel like I have been immune as a teacher lately. In the middle school, I used to get sick every other day because of how I got exposed to many germy kiddos, but this year I feel like I have more immunity.”

Ms. Pascale: “We have had students who have had the flu and have had to miss concerts, which has been really upsetting because they worked so hard and were not able to participate in their performance.”

While Wayne Hills students are affected by the flu outbreak, they are not the only ones. Various schools throughout New Jersey are experiencing the same illnesses. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting a high case of unusually high patient visits in hospitals. According to the flu level fluctuations, level 13 being the highest for flu activity, New Jersey has been associated with the highest level.

As flu season continues, students and staff must take precautions to stay healthy and prevent further spread of the illness.