You enter your first period class and realize many of your friends are missing, and why the person sitting next to you in class is sniffling and sneezing like there’s no tomorrow. As winter continues, seasonal illnesses do too. With these diseases MCHS students are bound to get sick. The question is, what is getting these students so sick? And what can we do to prevent getting sick ourselves?
First off, the Human metapneumovirus, (HMPV), is an up and coming seasonal illness that causes upper and lower respiratory illnesses such as the common cold, bronchitis, and pneumonia. HMPV has seen recent symptoms at MCHS and a reason for increases in student and faculty absences as well.
This virus has seen a rapid increase in cases recently, that it even has reached our school grounds and students along with it.
Leticia Munoz, Attendance Clerk for MCHS, explains the various symptoms ill students are experiencing.
“You can get fevers, congestion, coughing, body aches, some people get upset stomachs or even nauseous, vomiting, things like that,” Munoz said.
Munoz observed that many students have been sick in the past month.
“A lot more people have been getting the flu or a specific virus,” Munoz said.
Munoz noted a recent increase in office visits to the Nurse’s office.
“Yes, in the last two weeks, more students have been going into the health office,” Munoz said.
Munoz has also noticed HMPV affect faculty members at MCHS.
“Staff being sick? Maybe one, Actually two,” Munoz said.
Munoz clarifies and states that there has been a recent increase in student absences.
“Yes, In the last two weeks there have been more absences due to illness,” Munoz said.
Munoz advises students on how to avoid getting sick. As well as avoiding the HMPV illness.
“Washing their hands, if they feel they are coming up with something, or know someone that has it they can wear masks just to protect themselves even if they are not sick,” Munoz said.
Darlene Curiel, Licenced Vocational Nurse of MCHS, also shares common symptoms MCHS students have had recently.
“Headache, runny nose, cough, feeling nauseous,” Curiel said.
Curiel says she also noticed students getting more sick and wonders what it may be.
“I would say during the winter season it’s a lot more common for people to get more sick because of the cold or flu,” Curiel said.
Curiel also gives advice as to how students can avoid attracting HMPV- and how to possibly treat it if caught.
“We should make sure we are washing our hands, make sure we are covering our sneezes or coughs, not sharing anything, making sure we are being hygienic,” Curiel said.
Although HMPV may be fast spreading, its growth in cases can be slowed and stopped by following basic hygiene, washing hands, wearing masks and also staying distant with people who may seem sick.
