DECATUR — There have not been a lot of absences in Decatur schools due to flu-like symptoms in the past several weeks, according to school nurse Jackee Eaton.
Decatur was the first school in Benton County and one of the first schools in the state to receive the 2009 H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines. The early vaccinations may be the reason Decatur schools haven’t been hit very hard by the viruses, Eaton said.
There seemed to be more students with flu symptoms during the days the immunizations were being given than in the weeks that followed, Eaton observed. It has been more than two weeks since the vaccines were administered, so they should have taken effect, she explained.
About 50 percent of the students and staff received the vaccination, including 170 elementary school students, 113 middle school and high school students and 57 staff members.
“I was really pleased,” Eaton said.
News, Pages 6 on 11/11/2009