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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW (No heading) ... Mail Tribune 100: Dec. 18, 1915, continued ... Heavy rains trigger landslide that kills woman near Florence ... (No heading) ... Mail Tribune 100: Dec. 18, 1915, continued ... Heavy rains trigger landslide that kills woman near Florence ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: Schools' norovirus letter just a precaution MailTribune.com Writer Posted Dec. 19, 2015 @ 12:01 am Posted Dec. 19, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> I received a letter from the Medford School District saying that there has been a norovirus outbreak in Jackson County and warning us to watch out for signs of the illness. I heard about the outbreak at Fleming Middle School in Grants Pass. Should I be concerned or keep my son home from school? — Rachel L., Medford Concerned? No. Cautious? Yes. Rachel, although there has been an “outbreak” in Jackson County, it was nothing like the “outbreak” at Fleming Middle School in Josephine County where more than 180 students and a quarter of the staff fell ill with the norovirus, prompting district officials to close the school for a day to do some deep cleaning. According to a recent Jackson County Health & Human Services report, an outbreak represents two or more cases of the same illness in the same facility over a short period of time. At this time, public health officials don't know exactly how many people in the area are sick with the norovirus but have received a lot of reports of sudden-onset vomiting and diarrhea, which is consistent with the norovirus, said Jackson Baures, Jackson County’s Public Health Division manager. Many people mistake the illness for a "flu bug” or the “stomach flu.” However, it is not related to influenza, which is a respiratory illness, Baures said. So far, the Medford School District has had three isolated cases of the norovirus — all before Thanksgiving break. And there have also been two confirmed cases of the norovirus at Talent Elementary School, and one at Orchard Hill Elementary School. Rachel, the point of the Medford School District’s letter was not to scare you but to remind you to watch for symptoms of the virus — nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramping — and, if your son does get sick, to wait until 48 hours after the symptoms have stopped to let him return to school. The norovirus is highly contagious and can be spread through contaminated food or surfaces. It is especially dangerous for young children, older adults and people with compromised immune systems. Otherwise, it’s just a nasty 24 to 72 hours. Rachel, there’s no need to keep your son home from school. However, it wouldn’t hurt to remind him to wash his hand regularly with soap and water. Unfortunately, alcohol-based hand sanitizers don’t kill the resilient norovirus particles. Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected] . To see a collection of columns, go to mailtribune.com/youasked . We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Dec. 19, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501