MIAMI-DADE, Fla. – The parents of public schools' students in Miami-Dade and Broward counties recently received robocalls warning them of this season’s deadly flu.
Some parents also received a second message from their school principals, as the flu blankets South Florida. Teachers and administrators are also distributing educational materials, encouraging vaccinations and asking parents to keep their children home if they spot any symptoms.
This is the message from Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho:
This is the message from Broward school:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday that the contagious respiratory illness, spread by a virus, has killed at least 37 children -- including a 12-year-old boy in Palm Beach County.
The Florida Department of Health reported several students and staff from an elementary school in Miami-Dade County were dealing with the flu, which causes a miserable but relatively mild illness in many people, but a more severe illness in others.
Young children and the elderly are at greatest risk from flu and its complications. In a bad season, there are as many as 56,000 deaths connected to the flu.
