‘Tis the season—for the flu, COVID, stomach bugs, and other nasty viruses that can knock us down for several days, causing missed work and, in the case of children, missed school.

While cases of the flu, RSV, and COVID are all on the rise in the South, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, local schools report that absenteeism is not out of hand.

Several schools in Texas and Oklahoma have closed due to flu outbreaks this week. However, Tracie Riddle, resource coordinator at the Lafayette County School District, said Lafayette is “doing well managing student health and maintaining a safe environment.”

“We continue to prioritize cleanliness across all of our schools to help prevent the spread of germs,” she said. “While we have seen a slight increase in absenteeism, particularly among older students, it has not been dramatic, and we are actively monitoring the situation.”

According to the Mississippi State Health Department, the percentage of patients in doctors’ offices with flu-like symptoms climbed to 6.8 percent last week, up from 5.3 percent the previous week.

Oxford School District’s Director of Communications, Jill Knox, said the flu and a stomach bug are making their usual rounds through the schools.

“Our absentee numbers aren’t unusually high,” she said. “We have had very few staff affected at this time, so we are continuing on as normal.”

Parents are encouraged to keep sick children at home and to practice regular handwashing and good hygiene.