Battling the flu at a Groton high school

GROTON, Conn. (WTNH) -- Tonight there are at least 21 thousand confirmed flu cases across the US and News 8's Medical Reporter Jocelyn Maminta takes a closer look at how one Connecticut High School is tackling the widespread flu outbreak.

Sick students come in steadily.

"I feel like I'm going to throw up."

It's the nurse's office at Marine Science Magnet High School in Groton. It's also the latest school-based health clinic in the state, operated by Community Health Center.

"It keeps kids in school. It keeps parents at work," said Jane Hylan, Community Health Center Inc. "Often time parents have to take time off from their jobs to pick their child up and bring them to their primary care doctor. Here, we have all the services of a primary care doctor and the child can return back to school."

That's comforting for many students and their families with the flu outbreak intensifying.

"We've had more kids coming in with complaints of body aches and fever or sore throats," said Kerry Stephenson, nurse practioner. "We've been doing a lot of flu tests and my guess is that in the next couple of weeks, we'll have a lot more positives."

Sophomore Khiara Phillips got tested for the flu.

"I've feel pretty healthy except for I've been sick a little," Khiara said.

Easy access to health care led to Khiara getting the flu vaccine at school.

"I got the flu shot a couple weeks ago and I think it was good," Khiara said. "It didn't really bother me."

Just like many schools throughout the state, since the holiday break, the flu bug has bitten hard.

"Fortunately we can do rapid flu test here to confirm and start them on tamiflu early," Stephenson said. "Hopefully minimize their symptoms, we've been trying to push the flu shot in all the schools." 

Fortunately for Khiara, the flu test was negative.

Students are also getting educated on how to wash their hands properly, sneeze into their arm not into hands, the general flu symptoms, and when to get medical care.
 
Moving forward, to prevent more flu cases, students may be required to wear a mask.