Viral Meningitis Invades BHS

The viral meningitis virus that spread throughout Southern Maine has made it to Biddeford High School

Colby Perron, News Editor

Viral meningitis: the inflammation of tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord. This virus made its way across Southern Maine, and now reached Biddeford High School.

On October 7th, Biddeford High School learned that one of their students caught the viral meningitis virus, a virus that spread around the Southern Maine school region. Principal Jeremie Sirois first learned about the case at the end of the day.

“We heard about the case [on October 7th],” said Sirois. “Once everyone was out of the building for the day, I got the call.”

Sirois contacted Superintendent Jeremy Ray once the call finished completed in order to formulate an announcement.

“The protocol is, I call the superintendent, and then it’s in his hands,” said Sirois. “He developed a memo to go home to parents and a press release to all the area news.”

However, this is not the first viral meningitis letter that Ray put out. Before the case was confirmed, Ray made parents aware that the virus was spreading.

“We put out a bunch of instant alert emails to parents talking about prevention of the virus,” Ray said.

Once the case was confirmed, janitors cleaned extra around the building. Sirois explained that the cleaning was done very well.

“We had extra cleaning done as soon as we heard about the case,” said Sirois. “The door handles, the bathrooms, everything was cleaned a little bit more.”

Sirois said that not only were the bathrooms cleaned, but the entire building.

“Specific rooms were certainly done a little better, but the entire school was cleaned,” said Sirois. “There was definitely a lot of Clorox used that day.”

Nurse Amy Elie explained that viral meningitis is not much different than the common flu. One major difference is the area that it affects.

“It [viral meningitis] attacks the brain and spinal cord and causes fever, headache, causes the person to be lethargic, and sometimes, they may be sensitive to light,”

Sirois also said that it is very similar to the flu and how difficult it can be to tell the difference between the two.

“It takes a little more to determine if it is meningitis,” said Sirois. “Between the two, it gets really difficult because you’re talking spinal tap and some other things.

Nurse Amy Elie explained that viral meningitis, while still a virus, it not as dangerous as many people seem to be making it.

“Viral meningitis is not usually a threat to healthy people,” said Elie. “The threat is more that it can be spread.”

The ways that viral meningitis can be spread are great. Elie explains that any contact could spread the virus.

“Viral meningitis can be spread by using somebody’s water bottle, using somebody’s utensils, touching doorknobs, and stuff like that.”

Ray explained that cleaning was important and was definitely optimized, even before the confirmed case at Biddeford High.

“We all [schools of southern Maine] follow what the CDC [Center for Disease Control and Prevention] recommends, so that is why we are beginning to clean the doorknobs daily,” said Ray. “We want to follow the CDC to hopefully stop its spread before any student gets it.”

While there is only one confirmed case at Biddeford High, there is a chance for more people to get it. Elie, Sirois, and Ray all want students to make sure to clean their hands, avoid sharing anything that your mouth touches, and simply practice healthy behavior.

“Clean athletic equipment, don’t share bottles, don’t share things with other people, and avoid kissing if at all possible,” said Sirois. “Just do normal things that we do when flu season comes around so we can avoid spreading it.”

Ray agreed with Sirois in how to defend against the virus. He said that students that practice basic health practices will be able to prevent the spread. If all students do so, there should be minimal to no spread. However, he also realizes that the virus can still spread despite those practices.

“Wash hands, make sure that when you buy a soda, don’t share it,” said Ray. “Practicing those basic health tips is really all who we can do.”