Schools across the country are shutting their doors and widespread Flu cases are to blame.
That’s even the case here in the Tennessee Valley.
Huntsville City Schools remains open, but the district is calling on technology in its fight against the Flu.
Schools and classrooms are breeding grounds for the Flu virus, taking on an aggressive form among students and faculty.
It is one of the reasons Huntsville City Schools is using special equipment to battle the virus.
It goes by the name, the Victory Sprayer.
A green machine school custodians are using to coat surfaces with disinfectants.
It also uses an electrostatic charge.
HCS Facilities Coordinator, Edward Smith, III, said, “It covers a lot of ground and it does a great job of disinfecting, getting in cracks and crevices and some areas you might miss when you’re wiping.”
The sprayer was brought into play in December as an addition to what is already used to sanitize schools.
“Especially in the elementary schools where you have the areas where the kids are touching the books, scissors and things of that nature,” said Smith.
At Whitesburg P-8, WZDX cameras were allowed to follow custodians as they cleaned classrooms during lunch periods.
The Victory Sprayer is used daily and it also helps reduce cross-contamination.
“I also have been spraying tea tree and lemon oil all over my room to disinfect,” said Jennifer Rigney.
Second grade teacher Jennifer Rigney keeps cleaning supplies in her classroom as an added Flu-fighting method.
Rigney said, “I have four kids right now that are out.”
She says on top of the steps HCS is taking to keep schools clean self-reliance is also important in this fight.
Teachers are making sure their students wash their hands and use hand sanitizer to help prevent the spread of germs.
In addition to the Victory Sprayer, staff also uses color-coordinated towels to wipe down surfaces and a three-tier cart system where cleaning supplies for restrooms are not used for classrooms.
