Flu bug finally dying in Wilkes; doctors seeing fewer patients, schools seeing more students

This winter's bout with the flu seems to be easing up in Wilkes County after two weeks of filling doctors' offices and emptying classrooms.

"It's getting better," said Superintendent of Schools Joyce Williams. "We had just half as many kids out this week as we did last week and the week before."

"One day last week we had 24 children stay home," said W-W Elementary School Principal Wanda Jenkins, "and we sent another 10 or so home during the day, so by the end of the day we had 35 out of 350 students out sick."

Doctors Mahesh Duggal and Lester Johnston of MedLink Washington said that they saw more than 300 cases of the flu in the last two weeks. "That's three times what we usually see, and that's a lot for a town this size," Dr. Duggal said. "But it's getting better this week. It's lightening up now."

This year, he said, patients who had gotten the flu shot got good protection. "If they got the flu, their temperature never went above 99.5 degrees," he said. Those who didn't get the shot saw their fever reach 102 or 103.

If patients came to the doctor within the first 24 to 48 hours after symptoms appeared, they could be treated with Tamiflu, he said.

The flu shot is still available at the Wilkes County Health Department, administrator Jennifer Jackson, R.N. said. "The flu season goes through April, and it can still help, even now."

Both doctors and public health officials say that good hygiene - particularly frequent hand washing, can do a lot, as can avoiding contact with those who are ill.

Dr. Duggal caution grandparents to avoid their grandchildren if the children have a cough and a cold. "I tell elderly people not to have their grandchildren over for the weekend if they have a cough. In older people, it can start with a cold or the flu, then progress into pneumonia."

But is the worst over for this year? "We're hoping and praying it is," said Dr. Duggal.

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