Rising Flu Activity Forces Schools and Workplaces to Adjust
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)— Rising flu cases are forcing Grundy County students to move to virtual learning this week. With schools and offices seeing increasing absences due to illness, several districts in the region are temporarily shifting to online instruction.
Hospitals across the Chattanooga area report higher-than-usual numbers of patients with flu-like symptoms, highlighting how quickly the virus is spreading through communities.
Dr. Stephen Miller, Health Officer for the Hamilton County Health Department, said this is typical for this time of year. “We’re still deep in flu season,” he said. “It falls on us to try to keep areas clean — wiping down desks with proper cleaning agents and, most importantly, washing hands frequently. With children touching and sharing things all the time, it’s a good time to remind them not to share food or drinks.”
Dr. Miller added that flu activity is returning to pre-pandemic levels. “As we move further away from the COVID pandemic, we’re seeing our normal flu season return. We are seeing heightened flu activity at this time of year again. Sadly, that’s normal, and it could be prevented if more people exercised caution and participated in flu vaccination reporting.”
Officials say the community should stay vigilant as flu season continues, and schools and workplaces will continue monitoring attendance closely to decide when it’s safe to return to normal operations.
