Alternative Organizational Structure (AOS) 98 Superintendent Keith Laser released absentee numbers due to sickness for the week of Jan. 31. Boothbay Region School Nurse Kate Schwehm informed Laser around 10:30 a.m., 30 students and one staff member were out at Boothbay Region High School and 47 students and two staff were out at Boothbay Region Elementary School.

On Tuesday, Jan. 28, 58 students and two staff were excused at BRHS and 43 students were excused at BRES; Jan. 29, 44 students and two staff at BRHS, 47 and one at BRES; and Jan. 30, 42 and two at BRHS, 41 and two at BRES.

“This is an aggregate number of kids out, but not a specific breakdown,” Laser noted.

Schwehm said students have had gastrointestinal issues, upper respiratory issues and there have been diagnoses of Influenza B. Schwehm and the central office are asking parents to keep their child home if they are sick. “Students should not return to school until they are fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications. They should stay home for at least 24 hours following an episode of diarrhea or vomiting.”

The best thing people can do to stay healthy is to wash their hands, Schwehm said. She added, hand sanitizer is not as effective against the flu or stomach viruses.

“The best way to keep from sharing your misery is to stay home when you’re sick. Trying to tough it out at work or school will prolong the illness and infect more people.”