'Symphony of viruses': physicians, schools see increase in illnesses

Melanie Laine has seen a growing trend at her childrens' school in Hanley.

Her two kids were part of a rise in absences due to sickness with flu season and other respiratory illnesses making a comeback.

"I know the school has definitely seen a drop off of kids. They're going downhill fast and before you knew it there was like 200 staff and students (missing) -- which is bizarre because that's like 70 per cent of the school."

Laine said some of the absences aren't strictly because of an illness, but sometimes children are kept home out of caution with other family members falling ill recently.

"I think a lot of parents have opted to keep their kids home just to make sure, just to give them a day or two to make sure they get better. "

Three school districts in and around Saskatoon -- Prairie Spirit School Division, Saskatoon Public Schools and the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools have all noted the increase in illness-related absences this fall, but declined to provide specific numbers.

Prairie Spirit School Division acknowledged the large number of student absences from Hanley and said the Saskatchewan Health Authority sent a message to families on Friday about the situation.

"The school has remained open for students throughout the week and the SHA expects there will be a return to regular attendance next week," communications manager Brenda Erickson said in an email to CTV News.  

Laine said illnesses at school are common this time of year, but this is striking her as unusual.

"Throughout the years I've never heard of a school almost been taken out by a bug," she said. "It's pretty incredible when you think about it."

Plenty of parents have taken to social media to tell stories of empty classrooms, but does that mean the province is living through an unprecedented wave of illnesses?

Not so fast, says Saskatchewan Medical Association President and respirologist Dr. John Gjevre.

"This has brought us back to where we traditionally have been. If you go back, say three, four or five years ago, I don't think there's been a significant rise in actual numbers compared to our traditional numbers," he said.

With the healthcare system under pressure from nearly every direction, Gjevre said reintroducing traditional classroom learning, lack of social distancing, masks and the intense scrutiny on the healthcare system since the pandemic have all contributed to the sharp increase in illnesses recently.

He also said parents opting to stay cautious and keep kids at home whether they're sick or not has put plenty of attention on the seasonal sicknesses, which may have not been the case before the pandemic.

"There does appear to be less tolerance on everybody's part to send kids to school with a cold or flu-like symptoms," he said. "And likewise in the workplace."

Dr. Adam Ogieglo was quick to offer a reminder all of this is happening as primary care in Saskatchewan is in "crisis" with walk-in clinics seeing half-day wait times.

"I feeling like we're hitting all the notes right now," he said. "There's quite a symphony of viruses going on."

The family physician at Lakeside Medical Clinic has seen everything from RSV, influenza, colds and COVID-19 in recent weeks.

He said that masking, social distancing and staying home would help decrease visits to his clinic.

"Now that we've gotten out of those habits, it's expected results," Ogieglo said.

As a parent, Ogieglo said it's difficult to see his children miss school and other activities as illnesses run their course.

"Missing week after week after week it seems," he said. "It just seems like you get through one virus and the next one hits you after you're well for a few days."

Ogieglo said without any hard data, it's difficult to say if there are more people sick with various illnesses right now or if it's because the primary healthcare system is "crumbling," but he's certainly noticing more patients than he remembers pre-pandemic.

Gjevre said both are contributing factors.

"This is how it used to be pre-pandemic," Gjevre said. "A tired, overworked, burnout healthcare system overall and specifically there's a lack of physicians, so there's a buildup of wait times, whether it's seeing somebody in their office or in the urgent care centre."