Weekly Flu Report: November 5, 2009

Weekly Report: Download Weekly Report 11_5_09  (Download PDF Weekly Report 11_5_09)  

As illustrated in this weeks report, we continue to see dramatic increases in the number of cases of Influenza-like illness (ILI) across the state. This means that it is more important than ever for everyone to follow our flu prevention and control measures.

 

Not surprisingly, many schools are seeing an increase of H1N1 flu circulating and parents are, understandably, concerned about their children getting sick. We would like to share with you some information on how the Department of Public Health is working with administrators and school nurses across the state to help them prevent the spread of the flu.

 

Schools have put many effective measures in place and are actively taking steps to interrupt virus transmission. In addition, schools are screening all students for flu-like symptoms and are diligently monitoring absenteeism in both students and staff.

 

We are all committed to keeping schools open and functioning as usual, however, we recognize that on a case-by-case basis, some schools may need to consider closing. When making this decision, schools will take several factors into account including the extent to which ILI has impaired the school’s ability to perform its educational functions. Thus, a higher than usual absentee rate does not necessarily mean that a school should close.

 

We all agree that parents are a key partner in the fight against the flu. If your child does have the flu and is showing a fever, please do not give them fever reducing medication and send them to school. This exposes other students to illness and creates higher absentee rates. Also, if you child does stay home from school, do not let them go to other places where they could spread the flu virus to other people, such as after school programs, the mall, or sporting events. If you’re not sure whether to keep your child home, you can use the Flu Symptoms checklist on our website.

 

If your child is not sick, they should go to school. Keeping your healthy child away from school will not help better protect them from the virus. Remember, if there is flu present in your school, this means that there is also flu in your community.

 

Everyone can help prevent transmission by teaching both children and adults the basic flu prevention steps, including washing their hands often with soap and water or an alcohol based hand sanitizer, and covering their mouth when they cough or sneeze.

Comments

[ESSWLP]

I agree with the many concerns about sending children to schools in the event of the H1N1 pandemic. We are all aware of the current issues concerning the serious shortage of the H1N1 vaccine and it is unsettling to think of the lack of protection we have all been provided. However, while it is easy to conclude that the closing of schools may be one of the next best steps towards protecting American children from the virus, it is important to consider the different ways these children have been and will continue to be affected as a result. For example, during the first phase of the outbreak last spring, some schools closed abruptly and did not necessarily need to be closed. The large number of school closings caused many children to lose valuable school time. Also, unnecessary and unplanned school closures led to other consequences, such as the loss of school meals for some of the 31 million children who rely on federal school meal programs.
We are certainly in need of an improved and strengthened national emergency response to the H1N1 virus; however we must keep things in perspective as well. Facts like these are important to remember.

[Aaron from Leominster]

Schools are petri dishes, period. I get sad every day I drop my child off. All children needed to be vaccinated before school started, too late, everyone is now sick. I hope this mild virus encourages a wake up call, the next one might not be so weak. I also hope better technology will save us, vaccines need to be ready for the entire population in 3 months not 6.

[ESSWLP]

I entirely agree with the many concerns about sending children to schools. As we all know, it is clear that there is currently a serious shortage of the H1N1 vaccine and it is unsettling to think of the lack of protection we have all been provided. In that respect, while it is easy to conclude that in that the closing of schools may be one of the next best towards child protection from the virus, it is important to understand the different types of effects such actions would have on many Amrican children. For example, last spring, some schools closed abruptly and did not necessarily need to be closed. As a result, many children lost valuable school time. Also, unnecessary and unplanned school closures lead to other consequences, such as the loss of school meals for some of the 31 million children who rely on federal school meal programs. Facts like these are important to remember.

[CC]

Does anyone know if you can still get a full blown H1N1 infection after you've been vaccinated? I'm 5 months pregnant and was able to get my vaccination on Thursday. However, 2 neighborhood kids came over to play and they had had swine flu for the past 7 days. I guess they were treated with Tamiflu or something but they still had runny noses. I'm wondering if I can still get the swine flu from them since I had only had the vaccine in my system for 3 days? I didn't touch them and neither of them coughed or sneezed at me but they were playing with my 3 year old who got the 1st dose of vaccine 4 weeks ago and her 2nd dose the day before those kids came over.

[Lisa]

It is very frustrating that my son's school keeps telling me to call to get my 4 year old and 2 year old vaccinated. I call and call and call and they just don't have it. Last time i called - they told me to stop calling. They would call me. So - stocking up on Purell and hoping for the best.

[Arthur Smith]

I have insulin dependent Type 1 diabetes (IDDM), and cannot get vaccined. No one, not my primary care physician, not my endocrinologist, not the local diabetes clinic at the hospital, has supplies. I really do not know what I am supposed to do. I am in Worcester, MA.It is very, very frustrating.

[Linda]

"Schools have put many effective measures in place and are actively taking steps to interrupt virus transmission."

I can't imagine what these "many effective" measures are. You mention other means like monitoring kids and employees for sickness and emploring the sick to stay home. That's really all you can do for the most part. Cleaning surfaces wont do much since the virus is largely airborne and droplet transmitted...the small amoutn of surface transmission surely would be overcome by the fact that kids are in such close contact, breathing eachothers exhalations, for six plus hours a day.

It's clear from the patterns of the pandemic...where and when disease has started to increase sharply (for example, in the SOuth a month before in the North, exactly in time with when kids returned to school) that the schools are the main places of transmission. You can look at the news and also at the patterns of who gets hospitalized and dies and see that it's first the kids, then the adults, in the same community. Flu cases spike in schools in a community, and a few weeks later the adults get it.

I feel you are not being honest when you do not own that fact. It is apparent to anyone who scrutinizes the data that is out there. No deep analysis is needed.

It's arguable whether or not one should keep healthy kids home when thirty percent of the school is sick. But what if your kid is one of the many with asthma or another underlying illness that puts him at risk? If my kid has asthma, he would not be in school if more than 10% of kids were out. During this pandemic, that percent would be from flu most likely.

I wish parents were being warned of this. And, that schools were forced to be very honest (many are some not) and forthcoming about absentee rates to parents in real time so parents can make their own decisions.

It is a well established (for a century or more) public health strategie to use school closure to mitigate a flu pandemic. It is in fact, as you are aware, RECOMMENDED with some level of pandemic severity (although the powers that be have decided that this pandemic apparently is not severe enough). This works to slow the pandemic down and is a good strategy while we wait for adequate levels of vaccine. SUre it is not economically sustainable...but no harm is done, surely, for parents of healthy kids who can finanically AFFORD to keep their kids out of school to do so. I will be doing in myself, and take the pay cut that comes with it.

[Deb]

I agree100% with Amanda. We should close all schools until the vaccine is given to all students that want it. For those of you looking for a vaccine, this clinic may help. I'm not sure if it's open just to Wellesley residents.
On Nov. 7, from 9 a.m. to noon, the Wellesley Health Department is sponsoring a walk-in H1N1 flu clinic for children ages 2-19 at the Wellesley Hills Congregational Church.

[cp]

I agree with Adam. I am not a parent yet (expecting two babies in April), but saying that keeping kids at home won't protect them is just plain stupid. I tell you as a high risk pregnant women who like S still can't get ahold of the vaccine (I don't know why doctors just don't make a list of those who inquire about it) I have been staying home as much as I can since I know it is the safest place.

[Amanda Stone]

I know that chicken eggs are used to make vaccines. Can you please tell me where all the eggs come from.
Thanks.

[Adam]

I have appreciated the updates on this blog, and until now have agreed with virtually everything on them. But it's just not accurate to say that "Keeping your healthy child away from school will not help better protect them from the virus." If the flu is widespread at a particular school, keeping a child home and away from other kids will obviously better protect them than sending them to school. And it's no answer to say that "if there is flu present in your school, this means that there is also flu in your community." Yes, there will be flu in the community, but keeping a child home and away from public places will help protect them from the flu just like keeping them out of school during an epidemic at that school will help protect them.

I think the bottom line is that public health strategies sometimes conflict with educational objectives. We all want to keep the schools open and our children learning. But during this time of a national H1N1 epidemic, and in a period when the vaccine is just starting to be widely available, I think it may sometimes make sense to keep a healthy child home from school when that school is experiencing a flu outbreak.

[S]

Please help me to understand why there isn't a better distribution process for the vaccination upon receipt at the doctor's offices. My pediatrician is giving out the shot on a first come, first serve basis. I keep missing the boat when I call. I believe that the vaccination should be distributed based on a priority list (i.e. if a child falls under the high risk category & has an underlying condition OR if there is a person in the child's household that has a compromised immune system). I am beyond frustrated. My husband is taking a medication that has weakened his immune system. He keeps getting told by his doctors that he absolutely has to get the vaccination, but they follow up it up with they don't know IF and WHEN they will receive it. That doesn't make sense. They then told him that his children (3 & 6) need to get it for his protection, but we keep missing out despite daily calls to our pediatrician's office because they are handing out the vaccinations at well visits as soon as the vaccination is received instead of based on a priority need basis. There has to be a better way. Don't you have criteria that offices are supposed to follow on who should be getting the vaccination first? And, why is it so hard for someone like my husband to get his hands on a vaccination?