Dozens out sick from schools

Well over 100 students, teachers and paraprofessionals were out sick from Libby schools at the end of last week.

“Our official number of absences was 120 by noon and 13 staff members,” Libby Superintendent Craig Barringer said Monday via email. “I am not sure if they were all illness related. Some of the staff had sick kids.”

Riley Black, the public health nurse for Lincoln County, said via email “influenza is still very prevalent in the community and is likely the cause for a lot of these illnesses.”

“It has nothing to do with the cleanliness of the school,” she wrote. “It comes down to sick kids coming to school.”

Black said there isn’t much the Public Health Department can do at this time other than to encourage hand-washing and for sick people to stay home.

“Public health strongly recommends that anyone sick stays home until they are symptom free for at least 24 hours,” she wrote. “This is recommended for day cares as well.”

Eureka and Troy district are facing similar issues, Black said.