Tok School started tuberculosis testing because our school has been exposed. There was volunteer testing at Tok School on Monday, January 13th, and Tuesday, January 15th.
Tuberculosis is a bacterial illness that spreads infectious germs through the air from one person to another. It is an infection that commonly occurs in the lungs or other tissues, but also can affect the spine, brain, or kidneys. Tuberculosis used to be the leading cause of death in the U.S. until treatments were discovered. TB is not as contagious as it seems. However, spending a long time in contact with someone who has contagious TB could spread it. Thankfully, it is not a huge issue for our community.
Ms. Lindsay Brush, the high school math teacher, and Dawson Brinkman, a student at Tok School, were asked about their experiences with the TB tests. They were asked if it hurt, if it did, how bad. Lindsay's response was “It stung a little, but not that bad–just a little pinch. Being stung by a bee is worse.”
Dawson stated, “Nope, not at all. It was light work.”
They were also asked if they believed getting tested for tuberculosis was important. Dawson stated, “If you have symptoms, yeah.”
Ms. Lindsay responded with “I think if you are worried about it, yeah. If you feel you are exposed, it is better to know before you get sick and spread the illness to other people.”
Stay safe and continue to stay healthy!
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