Having an illness has gone high-tech at Southside ISD. The school district is utilizing digital thermometers to track illnesses like the fevers, the flu, and COVID-19. “A fever can indicate the body is trying to fight a bacteria or a virus and so the body raises its temperature to kill the intruder,” said Heather Siebert, R.N. from Menchaca Early Childhood Center. The campus nurse is currently distributing 120 thermometers to parents on a first-come, first-served basis. The thermometers pair with a parents cellphone and anonymously send Information to the nurse’s dashboard. From there, she can track illness trends and symptoms. “I hope we get a more accurate gauge of illnesses,” the nurse said. Because it is cold and flu season, Nurse Siebert reminds all parents to encourage children to wash their hands regularly. She also says it’s important to use disinfectants to clean surfaces and toys. Priscilla Garansuay has a child at Menchaca ECC and is finding her high-tech thermometer useful. She said, “It’s like a lifeline of letting us know what’s going on in our community.
