During school meeting on Monday, January 9, it was announced that the Harker Influenza Project will soon begin again on the Upper School campus.

Like last year, students will be asked to wear a small device that will record data about their interactions throughout the school day.

In addition to the device, students demonstrating signs of illness will be asked for a nasal swab and a throat sample. Debra Nott, the Director of Nursing for Harker, explained that if a student is feeling sick to come to the nurse’s office.

She told students to have no fear as she demonstrated the procedure on project leader Marcel Salathé. These swabs will complement the project by adding more data on students who have shown flu-like symptoms.

Sophomore Pooja Chirala thought it was interesting that the school nurses were working with outside researchers to aid in not only scientific advancement, but also “to ensure that everyone in the school is healthy […] and on the right track.”

Some, like Sarika Asthana (12), were excited about the news.

“I think it’s really cool that Harker is given the opportunity to work with scientists for their influenza project. We have students working and researching with them, and I’m excited to see what their results are,” she said.