MEMPHIS, Tenn. — This is one of the worst years for the flu in recent times. That’s what health officials are calling it. One local school district is proof, flu cases have burned through its middle school.
According to the Children’s Clinic of Oxford, almost every other child they have seen in the last few weeks has had the flu.
“Children, in particular, are vulnerable, because they haven’t encountered the flu in their lifetime,” Dr. Shirin Mazumbder with Methodist Hospital said.
Since Wednesday the flu numbers at Oxford Middle School have jumped from 25 cases to 50.
The districts said five staff members have also been out with the flu. Earlier this week the middle school canceled football practices because of the high flu numbers. The district said its other schools have seen five to 15 flu cases each.
“So we really encourage folks to get vaccinated. The flu vaccine is safe and effective in reducing illness and prevents absences at school and work-related illness and hospitalization and death,” Dr. Mazumbder said.
What is being seen in Oxford is no different from how the flu is spreading across other parts of the Mid-South.
Dr. Shirin Mazumder, an infectious disease expert with Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, said having dropped things like masking and social distancing after the pandemic, more people are catching the flu. She also said that flu numbers this year are the highest they’ve seen in the past five years.
“According to the CDC flu activity is currently the highest right now in the southern states, including Tennessee and Mississippi and Arkansas,” Dr. Mazumbder said.
Flu season typically peaks from December through February according to the CDC.
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