Local school district uses hospital grade disinfectant to stay ahead of flu outbreak

Allentown, Pa. (WTXF) - It has been an extremely rough flu season. The virus is everywhere and now one local school is taking extreme measures to keep children safe.

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You could call the maintenance crews in the Northampton County School District 'germ busters' these days.

They're now using fog machines with hospital grade disinfectant to stay ahead of the flu outbreak--the worst in nearly a decade.

"The first applicator he's using is a more aggressive surface type cleaner," Facilities Supervisor Northampton County School District Jonathan Jenny said. "It's used more to treat the tables, door handles, any area--touchable surfaces."

While the district is doing its usual classrooms cleanings as well as extra wipe downs, the fog machines kick the cleaning and disinfecting up a notch.

"It's an electrostatic sprayer. It makes the particles that come out of it stick to any surface," Jenny said.

"Nothing is ever 100 percent but we are told its 99.9 effective in killing the bacteria," Northampton County School District Joseph Kovalchick said.

The Lehigh Valley Medical Center in Allentown has been so inundated with flu cases, it has set up tents to handle the surge.

With 5,500 students in its 6 schools, the district is not taking any chances. It has two portable fog machines and a plug in version, which has a broader, finer spray to cover the entire room.

Superintendent Joseph Kavolchick says they've only been using the fog machines for several weeks and they seem to be making a difference.

"Our attendance rate has been pretty steady. Haven't seen an excess I students being absent or staff."