Sweeping across our school is an unseen menace, swiping students away on an almost  daily basis where they disappear for sometimes weeks at time. But what could this mysterious malice be? It goes by the name Influenza Virus or by its more common designation, the flu.

The stealthy menace while consistently an annual problem for everybody, has seen an unusual spike this year, with millions of people being infected with the disease. Unfortunately influenza is far from a harmless disease leaving some incapacitated from a week to even a few months in some cases. But incapacitation isn’t the only threat, as the flu has already caused over 20 confirmed deaths, a number that will most likely rise as the flu season trudges on.

This has left many wondering what exactly is causing this sudden and sharp increase in cases of Influenza. Many scientists are pinning the blame directly on the ineffectiveness of the flu vaccine which the CDC has reported only has a 36 percent flu prevention rate. However the the U.S. Surgeon General has still noted that it’s the best preventative measure available against the flu, even if its results are subpar.

As many students and faculty of North Atlanta know this epidemic not left the high school untouched in any capacity, with many students being taking weeks off from school suffering in bed. Sophomore Cecilia Affer was infected recently, which has been extremely detrimental to her school life “While I was gone, all my grades have gone down, it really sucks,” she said.

The school nurse Wendy Cooper has reported that at the height of the season as many as five students per day we’re going home sick with flu-related symptoms. She also noted that the best way to prevent the flu is to keep up personal hygiene and get vaccinated.

Of course despite this massive increase in North Atlanta flu cases, as we move into the spring, and the flu season winds down the numbers will slowly decreases, as many scientists have already begun to observe. But nonetheless few students will soon forget the great North Atlanta Flu Outbreak.