Sickness spreads faster than wildfires, and right now the flu is on the run, plaguing its victims with uncomfortable symptoms.

This is an especially bad flu season, according to CDC. As of late December, all national key flu indicators were elevated and about half of the country was experiencing high flu activity.

BASH Nurse Mrs. Debra Holauchock said the nurse’s office has not really see a higher than normal amount of students coming to them with flu symptoms, but that might be because students with the flu stay home.

The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and lungs. How can this miserable sickness be avoided?

Mrs. Holauchock said symptoms of the type A flu , the most common type of seasonal flu, vary.

“You can have chills, just kind of not feel well overall, and be tired and achy,” she said. “Sometimes, you can have headaches,sore throats, or a stomach ache.”

According to flu.gov, 5 to 20 percent of the United State’s population gets the flu each year.

Mrs. Holauchock said the best way to avoid getting the flu is to keep hands germ-free:

“The most important thing is handwashing which people kind of forget to do, but you should wash your hands several times a day— after eating and definitely after using the bathroom,” she said. “I think that a lot of people come into contact with germs again when they touch the door handle.

“You should really use a paper towel or pull your sleeve over your hand to open doors. The other thing is to avoid touching your face.”

When a student does not feel well, he or she should visit the nurse. Students should come down to the nurse whenever they feel slightly ill, according to Mrs. Holauchock. It is possible that this student is in worse shape than they feel. The nurses then do their best to determine if the students needs to be sent home. Parents of the students may also be contacted to help make this decision.

Simple tasks such as washing hands can make a difference in the cleanliness of Bash. Students should focus on making healthy decisions that shield them from  the flu.