The tissue box is a barren wasteland, a black hole of despair to its sniffling, runny-nosed worshippers. It can only mean one thing – flu season has hit WS.
Along with another lovely Northern Virginia winter comes the heightened number of absences due to people inflicted with the flu. This year’s flu season has seen an unusually large number of students sent home due to the flu or flu-like symptoms.
“In the years I’ve been here, we’ve sent more kids home with fevers than previous years,” said WS Clinic aide Laura Settle.
Fevers, body aches, and chills were the most commonly-seen symptoms, in addition to regularly-experienced coughing, throwing up, sneezing, headaches, sore throats, and fatigue.
But this years’ flu is different for more reasons than simply producing more absences than usual. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC)’s website, the viruses in vaccines differ from the virus that is spreading this season.
“Every year [the strain] changes a little bit,” said Settles.
The CDC’s Web site also cites the culprit behind this winter’s virus to be Influenza A (H3N2), as “H3N2-predominant seasons have been associated with more severe illness and mortality.”
Students have taken notice of the more severe illness, as many missed up to full weeks of school. Junior Shannon MacKinnon had the flu the entire week before Winter Break, giving her an extended break
“I couldn’t do anything, just watch T.V. It was miserable,” said MacKinnon. “I couldn’t open my eyes in the light either… it hurt.”
In addition, MacKinnon experienced high fever, body aches, and vomiting.
Sophomore Sarah Spencer missed the week before Break as well. She dealt with bad headaches, chest congestion, and a stuffy nose. Seniors were not excluded from the flu, either. Senior Rachel Sloan became ill right before the New Year arrived.
“It sucks,” said Sloan. “I just slept.”
Both Spencer and Sloan received vaccinations but still got sick, demonstrating the power of the virus.
“I got vaccinated, but it’s [because] they had the wrong strain,” said Sloan.
Missing school was also a concern for the infected. With AP courses and large workloads to be made up, being sick may seem almost doubly bad. Make-up work has the power to turn a weekend into a potential Chucky-filled horror fest, full of worksheets and Powerpoints.

“I did have a few teachers who got angry at me for missing school,” said Spencer. “A teacher told me I shouldn’t miss so much school, that I’ll be really behind.”
Teachers with jam-packed schedules know that even one period missed is a period lost – vital class time becomes hard to make up.
MacKinnon, however, had a different experience.
“[My teachers] were pretty understanding,” said MacKinnon.
To avoid this temporary bed-ridden fate, Settles offer some tips on how to stay healthy.
“Wash hands and cover sneezes and coughs,” said Settles.
And if sickness sets in, get enough sleep to ensure the immune system is able to function efficiently. So maybe sleeping rather than finishing that assignment is a feasible option.
“Time is the main thing. [You] just need to stay home and rest. Your body needs rest to actually recuperate, [and] needs rest before hand, too.”
Stay healthy, WS.