Vaccinations planned to curb spread of flu

Illness cited at most schools

Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2009

Although no confirmed cases of the swine flu, or H1N1 virus, have been documented, children at most schools in the county have experienced flu-like symptoms.

"It's here, I know it's here," said Patricia Wince, supervisor of health services for the school system.

"We have had a handful of students who themselves or some member of their immediate family tested positive for Influenza A," she said Thursday. That could be the seasonal flu or the H1N1 flu, she said, adding that the seasonal flu does not usually show up this early in the school year. "Which one, I can't say for sure," she said.

Either way, it is the flu and health officials are warning people to stay home from work or school if they have certain symptoms, especially a fever. Health officials are encouraging all students to get free vaccinations at each public elementary, middle and high school during clinics scheduled throughout October for the seasonal flu and later for the H1N1 flu.

In addition, the St. Mary's County Health Department will host four public vaccination clinics for adults in October for the seasonal flu, and for the H1N1 virus if that vaccine is then available.

While school nurses continue to address students with symptoms of the flu, testing for the H1N1 virus has decreased since the virus is known to be in most areas of the state. "It passes rather easily, it seems," Wince said.

School nurses are keeping track of illnesses and reporting when absenteeism rises above 10 percent at elementary schools or 15 percent at middle and high schools. Also, if a given class has 25 percent or more students absent that information will be reported, Wince said. So far, no schools have met that reporting trigger, she said.

The H1N1 virus turned up in April in Maryland.

"In a continuing effort to monitor the status of St. Mary's County students, our school nurses and health care providers have identified several students that have flu-like symptoms that are compatible with H1N1 virus symptoms," Superintendent Michael Martirano wrote in a letter to parents.

Health officials feared the H1N1 virus could come back stronger in the fall and are working to have a vaccine ready by October to be given in addition to the seasonal flu shots. The swine flu has been particularly harmful to younger people, differing from the seasonal flu, which generally takes its worst toll on the older population. For that reason, in part, health officials are pushing for more mass-vaccination efforts in schools, something St. Mary's has done successfully for several years.

State and local health officials have continued to advise that students should come to school as long as they do not have any flu-like symptoms.

For those that do have symptoms, which include fever greater than 100 degrees, sore throat, cough, muscle aches, headaches, and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea, children are asked to stay home from school and report the illness to a school nurse. They should stay at home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.

The swine flu is the first global flu pandemic in 41 years and as of the end of August, the World Health Organization reported more than 254,000 laboratory-confirmed cases with at least 2,837 deaths.

The federal government estimates that as much as 40 percent of the U.S. population could become ill with the flu this fall and winter.

jyeatman@somdnews.com