Careful, the flu has arrived
GREENSBORO — The number of Guilford County Schools students staying home with flulike symptoms more than tripled in the past two weeks. And Moses Cone Hospital’s emergency departments and acute-care centers report a 20 percent to 40 percent increase in patients.
Parents are encouraged to keep their children home if they exhibit flulike symptoms, said Robin Bergeron-Nolan, director of health services for Guilford County Schools.
Officials also recommend what they do every flu season to limit spread of the illness: Wash your hands, cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough and stay away from others if you are sick.
“Many of our schools have sent reminders of that information out to their parents,” Bergeron-Nolan said.
More than 1,600 of Guilford’s nearly 71,500 students were out sick with flulike symptoms as of Friday. That’s up from about 520 students two weeks earlier.
The district also reports 62 employees out sick, up from 33 two weeks ago.
The federal government gave out its first round of vaccine last week and was expected to ship another round soon, possibly this week.
North Carolina initially received 52,200 doses of the nasal spray vaccine. The Guilford County Department of Health decided to limit its first batch — 2,100 doses — to children age 2-17.
Young children are at high risk of serious complications from this flu, just as they are from regular seasonal flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Young people also are more likely to get sick from swine flu, which health officials prefer to call H1N1.
In a typical year, 5 percent to 20 percent of the U.S. population gets the seasonal flu, the CDC reports. About 36,000 people die each year from flu-related complications.
The CDC has been tracking the spread of this new strain of flu since it first appeared in the spring.
North Carolina is one of 37 states reporting widespread flu activity. The majority is swine flu. The number of deaths and hospitalizations due to flulike illness are higher than normal for this time of year, the CDC reports.
As swine flu becomes more firmly entrenched in the Triad, school and health officials continue their education campaigns about the illness.
The Guilford County Department of Health has posted information on its Web site.
Guilford County Schools has kept parents informed through its phone messaging system and Web site, Bergeron-Nolan said. The Web site includes tips on preventing the spread of flu and updated counts of students and employees out sick. Those numbers are expected to grow as flu season progresses, she said.
The district is prepared to work with absent students to make up their work, Bergeron-Nolan said.
Contact Jennifer Fernandez at 373-7064 or jennifer.fernandez@news-record.com
Want to know more?
ABOUT SWINE FLU
- Symptoms are similar to seasonal flu: fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills, fatigue, runny or stuffy nose, headache. May also include diarrhea or vomiting.
- Most people recover after about a week without lasting effects.
- Someone infected with swine flu might be able to infect others from one day before getting sick to five to seven days after.
- Groups at high-risk for getting complications: Anyone 65 years or older; 5 years old or younger; pregnant; or with diabetes, heart disease, asthma and kidney disease.
- Seek urgent medical care if you experience severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing; bluish skin color; not waking or interacting; pain or pressure in chest or abdomen; severe or persistent vomiting; fever with a rash; and flulike symptoms improve but then return with fever and a worse cough
- More online at www.flu.gov
ABOUT THE VACCINE
- It’s made the same way as seasonal flu, but contains only one strain. Seasonal flu vaccine typically combines strains to increase its effectiveness as multiple influenza viruses circulate at any given time.
- The U.S. government has ordered 250 million doses.
- The nasal spray includes a live, weakened virus. It is recommended for children and anyone up to age 49 who’s healthy.
- The injectable version, due out this week, contains a dead virus.
- If you were vaccinated for the 1976 swine flu, you still should get vaccinated for this new version.
- Health officials recommend getting both the seasonal and swine flu vaccines.
- The swine flu vaccine carries no more risk than the regular vaccine.
- The vaccine will not prevent other flulike illnesses.
- Cost: No out-of-pocket cost at health departments. But an administration fee of up to $19.70 can be charged either out-of-pocket or to your insurance if you go to a private provider or pharmacy.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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