Omro schools using smart thermometers to track illnesses, reduce outbreaks

OMRO (NBC 26) — A Northeast Wisconsin school district is using smart technology to slow the spread of COVID-19 and other winter illnesses.

H.B. Patch Elementary School in the School District of Omro is one of more than 100 Wisconsin schools participating in the Kinsa and Lysol FLUency Program, an effort to track and reduce outbreaks in schools across the country with help from smart thermometers.

“The thermometer is unique, because it has the ability to connect to an app and link you to a community essentially. So you can see what illnesses are in your child’s classroom or school," said Karen Carley, director of health & nursing services at the School District of Omro.

Once a student's temperature is taken, Carley said that information is sent to an app where parents can enter their child's symptoms. Families have the option to share that data so the rest of the school can see anonymous, aggregate information on any symptoms and illnesses going around the school.

"It's nice to know what's going on around the community and in our schools as a parent so I know what to watch out for my child, but also in my classroom as well," said Nicole Henry, a kindergarten teacher at H.B. Patch Elementary School.

Henry's son is in preschool at the School District of Omro. Henry said she uses the Kinsa thermometer for her boys before they leave the house.

"We do a temperature check most days so I know that they're feeling well, and I feel comfortable sending them to school and to daycare," Henry said. "But it's nice, too, because it goes right to the app. So I am not only sharing the information with myself, but his school and his classroom too."

Smart thermometers are free to families through the program thanks to a partnership with Lysol, who also provides disinfectants and education materials to participating schools.

Carley said the School District of Omro has participated in the program for three years. She said hundreds of elementary school parents have used the free smart thermometers since then.

“We have not chose to do screenings at school to check every student’s temperature when they arrive for a multitude of reasons. But that’s one of the really important parts, is screening children for illness. And our families have agreed to do that," Carley said. "I think that’s really an important part of how we’ve stayed open, is parents are being vigilant.”

Carley said these types of devices are the way of the future for school districts.

"Any time we can help prevent illness - the spread of illness - is very important," Carley said.

There were zero new COVID-19 cases reported in the School District of Omro Wednesday, according to the district's COVID-19 wellness dasbhoard.

More than 5,000 schools across the U.S. and Canada are participating in the Kinsa FLUency program this year.