By Natalie Krebs (Radio Iowa)
State health officials are seeing a significant jump in the number of schools reporting high absence rates due to illness.
Iowa Health and Human Services reports a boost statewide in respiratory virus infections like COVID-19, RSV, and the flu, as well as norovirus.
Addie Olson, spokesperson for the Polk County Health Department, says at least 14 schools in the Des Moines metro area reported high absence rates this month.
“Some of those schools have reported sick absence rates greater than 10-percent for two or three consecutive days,” Olson says, “and those extended absentee rates are a good indicator that there is a significant amount of illness spreading within the school.”
Olson says parents should keep kids home when they’re sick.
“We also are promoting things like practicing good hygiene, washing your hands really thoroughly before and after eating and using the restroom,” she says, “and staying up to date on vaccinations.”
State health officials reported last week that 73 schools statewide had absence rates of at least 10 percent for the prior week. That’s a significant jump from 11 schools in the week before.