When the Schoolhouse Germs Come Home

DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor

The first cough usually comes from the backseat.

A kid climbs into the car after school, coughs a couple of times, and insists they're fine. By bedtime, somebody's hunting for the thermometer. By morning, Mom and Dad are trying to figure out who can afford to miss work.

There's never a good time for that, especially when the bills don't take sick days.

School is a wonderful place for learning, making friends, and picking up germs. Put hundreds of kids together every day, and you've got something that occasionally resembles a live petri dish.

And what comes home in a backpack doesn't always stay with the kid who brought it.

That's worth remembering in Moore County, where the latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates put the 2025 population at 6,920. Nearly one in four residents – 24.7% – are 65 or older. That's roughly 1,700 neighbors in an age group more vulnerable to serious complications from the flu and other respiratory illnesses.

At the other end of the age spectrum, the Census Bureau's 2020-24 American Community Survey estimated 2,739 Moore County households. About one in four – roughly 700 – included at least one child younger than 18. That figure includes preschoolers and is not limited to families with school-age children.

That's a lot of lunchboxes heading out the door every morning, and a lot of parents hoping they won't get a call from the school nurse before lunch.

For working families, a sick child can mean rearranging shifts, burning vacation time, or losing a day's pay. Grandparents often become the backup plan, putting older family members in closer contact with whatever illness is making the rounds.

There's no miracle food or magic vitamin that'll keep the flu away. Eating right and getting enough sleep help the body do its job, but they don't replace vaccinations or good old-fashioned precautions against germs.

None of those habits is complicated. Finding time for them is another matter.

Wash off the school day

If there's one habit worth establishing before supper, it's washing hands when everybody gets home.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends scrubbing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. That's long enough to sing "Happy Birthday" twice, although the rest of the household might appreciate a different tune.

Make it part of the routine. Kids wash up when they get home, before eating, and after using the bathroom. Grown-ups should follow the same rules.

Pay attention to things everybody touches, too. Phones, light switches, and kitchen counters deserve a little extra cleaning when illness makes its way into the house.

The CDC says school handwashing programs can help reduce respiratory and stomach illnesses, along with the missed school days that follow.

And while no amount of soap guarantees a germ-free household, fewer illnesses can mean fewer mornings spent negotiating with the boss over another unexpected absence.

Give everybody a decent night's sleep

There's a reason everything seems harder after a lousy night's sleep. The body uses that time to recover, and adequate rest helps the immune system function properly.

According to the CDC, adults generally need at least seven hours of sleep each night. Those 65 and older typically need seven to eight hours, while children ages 6-12 need nine to 12. Teenagers should be getting eight to 10.

Anybody raising a teenager knows convincing one to go to bed can require considerable negotiation.

Still, regular bedtimes help. So does putting down the phone before turning out the light.

Stress deserves some attention, too. Nobody can make the electric bill disappear by taking a deep breath, but a little quiet time or an evening walk can help take the edge off a long day.

Parents juggling jobs, homework, and ball practice aren't likely to find extra hours lying around. Sometimes getting more sleep simply means deciding that something else can wait until tomorrow.

Put something good on the supper table

Your immune system needs nutrients to do its job, and the best place to get them is usually from food. That means fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and a reasonable amount of lean protein. It doesn't mean replacing everything in the pantry or spending half a paycheck at the grocery store.

An apple in a lunchbox helps. So does a pot of beans that can stretch into tomorrow's supper. Grapes are another easy option, but don't expect any fruit to perform miracles. Eating a variety of healthy foods does more good than putting your faith in one supposed superfood.

The same caution applies to supplements promising to "supercharge" your immune system. There's little reason to spend money on expensive products that promise more than the research supports.

For older adults taking prescription medications, checking with a healthcare provider before adding supplements is especially important. Some can interfere with medicines or cause other problems.

A healthy diet doesn't need an advertising campaign. It needs to become a habit.

Don't forget the water

It's easy to go through the day drinking coffee, sweet tea, or soft drinks and hardly touch a glass of water.

Water won't keep you from catching the flu, but getting dehydrated when you're already sick can make a bad day worse. Keep water handy, particularly for children involved in sports and older adults who may not always feel thirsty.

Water-rich foods help, too. Fruit, vegetables, and soup all contribute to daily fluid intake.

There's no single number of glasses that works for everybody. Fluid needs depend on age, activity, weather, and medical conditions. Anyone under a doctor's instructions to limit fluids should continue following that advice.

For most households, though, keeping a pitcher of water in the refrigerator is a simple place to start.

Keep moving, even if it's just a walk

Exercise doesn't require a gym membership or expensive equipment. A walk down the road a ways counts. So does yardwork, and there's usually no shortage of that around Moore County.

The CDC recommends that most adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week, along with muscle-strengthening exercise on two days. That's about 30 minutes of brisk walking five days a week.

Older adults should also include activities that improve balance. For anyone with mobility problems or medical conditions, a healthcare provider can help determine what's safe.

Regular exercise supports overall health and helps the body's immune system work properly. It can also improve sleep, which is another reason to make room for it.

And parents don't have to find another hour in an already crowded schedule. A walk with the kids after supper gets everybody moving without adding another trip across town.

Keeping the germs from making the rounds

Even families that do everything right are going to have sick days. That's where prevention goes beyond eating well and getting enough sleep.

The CDC recommends staying up to date on appropriate vaccinations, practicing good hygiene, and improving indoor air quality when possible. Opening windows when conditions allow or using properly maintained air filtration can help reduce airborne germs.

Vaccination is particularly important for older adults. The CDC recommends an annual flu vaccine for nearly everyone ages 6 months and older, with certain types of flu vaccine preferred for adults 65 and older.

The agency also recommends a 2026-27 COVID-19 vaccine for adults and an RSV vaccine for everyone 75 and older, as well as adults ages 50-74 who are at increased risk of severe RSV illness. Unlike the flu shot, the RSV vaccine is not currently an annual vaccination.

For Moore County's older residents, those recommendations deserve particular attention. A healthcare provider can help determine which vaccinations are appropriate based on age, medical history, and previous immunizations.

And don't wait too long to call the doctor when symptoms appear. For older adults and others at higher risk, prompt treatment for influenza can reduce the chance of serious illness.

When someone is sick with a respiratory virus, keeping them home and away from others helps limit the spread. Returning to normal activities should follow current public health guidance and the person's symptoms.

That's not always an easy proposition for a family living paycheck to paycheck. Sometimes staying home means an uncomfortable conversation with the boss. Sometimes it means finding someone to watch a child while the parent works. Having a backup plan in place before illness strikes can make a difficult morning a little less chaotic.

And if Grandma or Grandpa is the person everybody calls when school sends a child home, remember that an ordinary childhood illness may be harder on an older adult.

Their health deserves a place in the decision, too.

A little prevention goes a long way

Nobody's going to make it through every cold-and-flu season without a sniffle. Children will bring home germs, and somebody will eventually use the last tissue in the box.

That's life.

A little more soap and a little more sleep won't guarantee a healthy winter. But they might help keep the whole family from taking turns with the thermometer.

Because that first cough from the backseat can turn into a mighty expensive week.