School may be back in session, but some students have gotten out of it for just a little longer, but it's not for any kind of vacation.
Just as Clack Middle School nurse Karen Rayburn who knows exactly what they should be doing.
"If you have been throwing up, or diarrhea or have fever, you are to stay home twenty four hours after the last episode of any of the above," said Rayburn.
School attendance in Abilene and other parts of the Big Country has been down about five percent since Christmas vacation.
Rayburn imagines that number will go up pretty soon.
"Everybody's been out and about and then everybody gets closed in with heating systems on and we see an increase in communicable diseases at that time," she said.
This years' flu season has more than quadrupled in confirmed cases since last year in Abilene alone and while school attendence is going a bit down.
It's going way up in local pharmacies where people are stocking up on medicine and flu vaccines.
"That's a good thing people are actually aware of it and actually acting, but even a shot wont completely prevent you from catching the virus," said James McCoy of James McCoy's Drugstore.
"It takes ten to 14 days for the flu shot to take into effect so if you've come in contact or have been exposed to the flu there's a good chance that you can get the flu anyway," said McCoy
So Rayburn is prepared making sure her campus is stocked up on antibacterial and posters with a few tips on prevention.
She agrees its one of the few times in the year where she doesn't mind seeing the halls a bit emptier than usual.
Just as Clack Middle School nurse Karen Rayburn who knows exactly what they should be doing.
"If you have been throwing up, or diarrhea or have fever, you are to stay home twenty four hours after the last episode of any of the above," said Rayburn.
School attendance in Abilene and other parts of the Big Country has been down about five percent since Christmas vacation.
Rayburn imagines that number will go up pretty soon.
"Everybody's been out and about and then everybody gets closed in with heating systems on and we see an increase in communicable diseases at that time," she said.
This years' flu season has more than quadrupled in confirmed cases since last year in Abilene alone and while school attendence is going a bit down.
It's going way up in local pharmacies where people are stocking up on medicine and flu vaccines.
"That's a good thing people are actually aware of it and actually acting, but even a shot wont completely prevent you from catching the virus," said James McCoy of James McCoy's Drugstore.
"It takes ten to 14 days for the flu shot to take into effect so if you've come in contact or have been exposed to the flu there's a good chance that you can get the flu anyway," said McCoy
So Rayburn is prepared making sure her campus is stocked up on antibacterial and posters with a few tips on prevention.
She agrees its one of the few times in the year where she doesn't mind seeing the halls a bit emptier than usual.
