Physicians say go back to basics to prevent flu, Educators stress importance of “One Less Sick Day”

HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF)- Last year’s flu season has many parents on high alert about this flu season and with good reason.

Bradley Hamilton, CHI Memorial Physician’s Assistant says, “We had more deaths from the flu than motor vehicle accidents killing people last year.”

Lala Anthony, Actress and Lysol Spokesperson, says “when you look at the statistics,  80,000 flu related deaths last year, it’s pretty scary.”

Shocking numbers from the CDC say 900,000 flu related trips to the hospital.

We all know that those, not only cost money, but time as well.

Anthony says, “It’s hard for working mom when your kid is sick. It’s a snowball effect all the way down.”

Anthony is mom of a middle schooler, partnered with Lysol to drive home to message of the value in “One Less Sick Day.”

They are trying to keep students from missing social interactions.

This is very important to both private and public schools in Hamilton County.

Brent Eller, East Hamilton Middle and High School Principal, says, “it really makes an impact academically and it really brings about a lot of stress on them, on the parents. ”

Allison Barham says her kids would say, “what were they doing on the playroom today? What were they doing? You know, what about lunch and all of that stuff so they miss out and each classroom has their own community.”

Barham is the Lower School principal at Chattanooga Christian and says they had a practical solution that takes the stress off of students.

Barham says, “a few years ago, we stopped doing perfect attendance because we found we have some students who wanted to come to school even when they were sick because they wanted to get the perfect attendance award so we took that out of the mix.”

At East Hamilton, the students are greeted by students adding an replacing the stress of attendance with accountability, by their peers.

Plus, the greeters know they will be missed as well.

Eller says after days missed they are “not in that groove and in that school atmosphere and expectations and a general routine.”

Medical professionals say taking old school approaches to detection and treatment must end as well.

Hamilton says, “I would use a theromometer… not just the hand on the head.”

He says, “if kids are coughing and sneezing that is when we can use the spray disinfectant in the room and wiping off door knobs.”

Anthony says she uses Lysol on “kitchen counters. I’m using it in my bathroom, I’m using on his game controllers… on everything.”

Ultimately, Hamilton says “it is tough because all kids get sick and that is a part of building the immune system so let’s watch out for the big bad things.”

By no means are these educators saying come to school while they are sick.

The goal is to get your kids back in good health as fast as possible to minimize the days kids miss from school.