A north Louisiana school district is doing its part to stop the flu from spreading. Tuesday, L.P. Vaughn in Natchitoches Parish was closed after several students came down with the flu, or reported flu like symptoms. Superintendent Dale Skinner said teachers and other school staff spent the day cleaning up.
Skinner said this is the first school in the parish to close because of the flu this year. He told KTBS he's surprised it's the only school they've had to close. L.P. Vaughn's closure impacted pre-k through second grade students.
Skinner wants parents to know, "I just want them to know we're going to do everything we can for their students which we always have, and we're going to do everything to keep them safe, and we're going to do everything we can to keep them from being sick. That's our job to protect them, and that's what we're trying to do". The school will re-open tomorrow.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, the entire country is seeing elevated levels of flu-like illness. The CDC estimates at least 2.6 million flu illnesses, and 1,300 deaths from the flu so far this season.