Schools across the country have temporarily closed their doors due to outbreaks of the stomach bug norovirus, a highly contagious virus, that causes vomiting and flu like symptoms.
Local pediatrician, Dr. Nawal Zeitouni with the Pediatric Associates of Lubbock said the virus is very hard to contain once it gets out, and she doesn’t recommend parents giving their children store bought medicine or antibiotics, “it will make the virus stay with them longer,” said Zeitouni. Instead, she recommends plenty of fluids and rest.
“It’s one of those things where when you have anything that spreads through fecal oral which means that its bodily fluid its just really easy to spread especially with children,” said Zeitouni.
Last month three schools in Colorado closed for a few days after the virus began to spread so rapidly throughout the area. LISD Health Coordinator Paulett Rozneck said they haven’t seen a huge outbreak yet here in Lubbock but they have noticed children going to the nurse with tummy aches recently.
“We are currently having some GI bug that is going on and it will last from a day to three days and a lot of it is the nausea and the vomiting, and the vomiting itself will make it contagious,” said Rozneck.
The district currently works with a company “Germ Blast” who comes in and thoroughly sanitizes the walls, desks, and floors throughout the year. Rozneck said they started working with the company last year and it has made a tremendous difference in keeping their kids healthy.
“The nurses really go into all the classes and teach the kids about hand washing, and how to cover when they’re coughing, and use a Kleenex,” said Rozneck
