Newberry Academy Headmaster Bob Dawkins sits amid camera crews and reporters awaiting a call from DHEC today saying if the school has been affected by Mexico’s swine flu.
“Well we thought we would know by now,” Dawkins repeats. “I called the gentleman at DHEC who’s going to be the one to inform us (at about 2:40 p.m.) and he was going to call us and see what he could find out. But he hasn’t called back, so I’m assuming he doesn’t know anything yet.”
The decision as to whether the bug that swept through 12 Academy senior students that traveled to Mexico together, and two adults, over spring break was swine flu or not will be made in Atlanta Dawkins says.
After 13 of the school’s seniors took a cruise to Cancun, before the end of the week, all but one had flu-like symptoms like fever, headache, cough, congestion and aches, says Dawkins.
“Just your normal flu symptoms,” says Dawkins.
Two of three adults who accompanied the group also had flu-like symptoms.
Those feeling ill, and others in the school, were swabbed by DHEC yesterday and results were hand-delivered to Atlanta overnight for testing, Dawkins says.
“The testing and confirmation process is somewhat lengthy,” said Thom Barry, spokesman for DHEC.
The initial results won’t say exactly if the flu-like symptoms are from the swine flu, but Barry says that if DHEC suspects it is related, the results wil be sent for further testing at The Center for Disease Control.
Over the weekend, most of the students, who were affected “were over it by this weekend,” says Dawkins.
The school held its prom Saturday.
Though no students or teachers came to school today after DHEC’s advisement to close the school as a precaution, the campus was still busy.
Television stations from Spartanburg, Columbia, Augusta, Greenville and Charlotte have come by for taping and information.
Dawkins estimates television stations have interviewed him at least 10 times. He’s also done newspaper and local interviews.
“Oh, it’s been a parade of television stations,” says Dawkins. “Some are still here waiting on the decision.”
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