School officials in Tipton Friday confirmed rumors of a large flu outbreak there, affecting about 10 percent of total enrollment.

Although most students were back in class by Friday, the first part of the week saw up to 20 students a day absent with flu-like symptoms.

Although all area schools reported students out with some type of illness this week, none of the schools reported a large number out due to flu.

Olustee Schools reported a few colds and sore throats this week, Hollis Schools reported a few students that had flu-like symptoms, Duke had two or three with the flu, and Granite and Mangum had none.

The Jackson County Health Department however warned that with flu spreading throughout the state that anyone that is ill should stay home from school or work and should stay away from others as much as possible to keep from spreading sickness further.

“For mild flu symptoms it is not necessary to see a doctor,” said Jackson County Administrative Director Keith Reed, “however, if you are pregnant or have a health condition like diabetes, heart disease, asthma or emphysema, do check with your health care provider about appropriate treatment.”

Otherwise, Reed said you should just stay home and get plenty of rest, drink clear fluids to keep from being dehydrated, cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or cough or sneeze ‘into your sleeve’ and wash hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub, particularly after using tissues or coughing and sneezing into your hands. If you’ve had the flu, you should not return to work or school for at least 24 hours after fever is gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.

The Jackson County Health Department is not yet giving out flu vaccines for the seasonal flu, or for the H1N1 virus.

A spokesman for the health department said they should be getting their seasonal flu vaccines by the first part of October, but that vaccine will not protect you from the H1N1 virus.

If and when they receive the H1N1 vaccine, it will be after the seasonal vaccine is received and given.

For more information, call the Jackson County Health Department at 580-482-7308 or visit: http://h1n1.health.ok.gov