A PRIMARY school has stopped singing in assemblies to curb the spread of flu as cases surge and the NHS braces for the worst outbreak of the winter bug in years.
One in six have been off or sent home from Wigton Moor Primary School this week, with head teacher Elaine Bown calling it the “worst year” for sickness since she started almost 14 years ago.
Wigton Moor Primary School in Leeds has implemented Covid-style measures this flu seasonCredit: Google maps
It comes as the NHS warned it was facing a record-breaking flu wave this winter, which experts have said could and batter hospitals as soon as next week.
The flu strain ripping through the UK, known as , is relatively new, meaning many people may not have .
It has also at least seven times over the summer, raising fears it could slip past some protection offered by current .
The school, based in Leeds, has introduced to counter the spread, including stopping singing in assembly.
“We’ve had assemblies, but we’ve not sung in assemblies because again, we know that that’s something that spreads it quite a lot, Mrs Bown told the BBC .
“We are rehearsing for nativities at the moment and Christmas performances and we know from Covid that singing in schools is one of the worst spreaders,” she added.
The measures also involve postponing after-school clubs, opening windows and implementing sanitisation stations in a bid to stop teachers and staff getting sick.
“What is particularly difficult is it gets passed on to teachers and staff. Keeping the school open is obviously our priority to make sure you can provide an education,” Mrs Bown explained.
On Monday, 70 children were off sick or sent home from Wigton Moor in Alwoodley, with high temperatures or , according to Mrs Bown.
Although some students have recovered and returned to school, the number has remained high throughout the week, with one class seeing almost all its students off during one day.
Latest NHS figures show an average of 1,717 patients across the country were in a hospital bed every day last week because of flu.
This means virus patient numbers are 50 per cent higher than this time last year and 10-fold more than in 2023.
NHS medical director Prof Julian Redhead said: “These numbers confirm our deepest concerns: the health service is bracing for an unprecedented flu wave this winter.
“Cases are incredibly high for this time of year and there is no peak in sight yet.
“I urge anyone eligible to come forward to get their jab.”
One in six children have been off or sent home sickCredit: FatCamera
Earlier this month, European health chiefs warned tens of thousands more people could die of flu this winter.
In a “bad flu year” we can expect up to 70,000 deaths across Europe and the UK – with millions of people falling ill.
But Dr Bruno Ciancio, head of the Vaccine Preventable Diseases unit at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said he was “concerned” that if we don’t start ramping up vaccination now “tens of thousands” of otherwise preventable deaths in Europe and the UK could follow.
WHEN FLU MIGHT BE SERIOUS
ASK for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if:
You or your child have symptoms of flu and:
- you’re worried about your baby’s or child’s symptoms
- you’re 65 or over
- you’re pregnant
- you have a long-term medical condition – for example, diabetes or a condition that affects your heart, lungs, kidneys, brain or nerves
- you have a weakened immune system – for example, because of chemotherapy or HIV
- your symptoms do not improve after seven days
You can call 111 or get help from 111 online .
Call 999 or go to A&E if you:
- get sudden chest pain
- have difficulty breathing
- start coughing up a lot of blood
Source: NHS
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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