Area school districts have closed the doors to campuses after a large number of students contracted flu-like symptoms. Many area districts are taking precautions to avoid having so many students absent.

Bullard Independent School District is among the latter mentioned above.

Unlike school district that have had a high percentage of students out with flu or flu-like symptoms, BISD’s absentee rate is near normal.

“It’s really not any different than any other season,” BISD Superintendent Keith Bryant said.

One of the reasons the attendance is near normal may be the precautions personnel at each BISD campus is taking to not only prevent a regular flu out- break, but also prevent an outbreak of the N1H1 virus, which is commonly known as the Swine Flu and has received a lot of media attention in recent weeks.

Bryant recently sent out a letter to parents outlining precautions the district is taking and that parents can take to help avoid the spread of flu.

“We’re sanitizing our buses and classrooms every day,” Bryant said.

Also, each classroom in the district is equipped with non-liquid hand-sanitizer, and students are encouraged to practice good personal hygiene both inside and outside of school.

Bryant said he met with county health officials Monday, Oct. 5. As a result of that meeting, the district will sent a letter with student report cards Thursday, Oct. 8. The letter will notify parents of the option to have their child immunized for flu and swine flu in November. Parents will need to return the letter as soon as possible (be sure to read and fill out the appropriate information). Questions regarding the information should be directed to the district.

Bryant said the district averages about 3 to 4 percent absent each day, and the high for the year was about 9 percent. Only if the figure reaches 20 to 25 percent will the district consider canceling classes, according to Bryant.

Parents who wish to take precautions or who need more information about what to do can visit the Texas Department of State Health Web site at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/t xflu/return_to_work.shtm.

According to the Web site, to date, most illness from the novel H1N1 influenza virus has been mild to moderate, but, as with seasonal influenza, there have been cases of very severe illness and several deaths in Texas.