2/27/11

 

PUTNAM COUNTY -- Despite the recent spring-like weather, many people in the area are still suffering from the flu-bug and it's having an impact on students in the school system.

According to LouAnn Grossberg, administrator for the Upper Cumberland Primary Care Rural Health Initiative, it is hard to pinpoint "hard numbers" of how many cases of confirmed flu cases or the specific strains of flu there have been in the area.

By only being able to use confirmed cases of flu, the numbers seem "unusually low" for a typical flu season.

There have been almost 5,000 cases of flu across the state since the flu season officially began last fall. That number includes both confirmed cases of flu and also those cases where the patient experienced flu-like symptoms.

Grossberg stated that the numbers for regional and county levels were currently unavailable.

"The reason is not all patients that get the flu go to the doctor and of those that do go, not all of them get the test," Grossberg said.

To confirm whether a patient has the flu or to distinguish the flu from other illnesses, the patient can provide a sample to be tested.

According to the CDC, there are different types of testing. All current methods require a swab sample from the inside of the patient's nose and the back of their throat. The results are then sent for testing. No blood samples are necessary to test for the illness.

The CDC states that the typical peak of flu season each year occurs in January or February but that seasonal flu activity can continue on as late as May.

Grossberg commented that flu activity is currently widespread across the state.

"It's really important to urge anyone who hasn't gotten the flu vaccine yet to go ahead and get one," Grossberg said. "It's not too late to go ahead and get it."

Vaccines are available in injection form as well as a nasal spray offering patients options to discuss with their healthcare provider. The nasal spray is typically for patients from ages 2-49 years old and is not for patients who suffer from asthma. Both forms of the vaccine protect against A/H1N1, influenza A/H3N2 and influenza B.

The best advice is to stay home if you're sick and especially if a fever is one of the symptoms being experienced.

According to Grossberg, the typical flu vaccine, if taken at the beginning of the season in early fall, will last throughout the season which usually ends in the spring.

Common hygiene practices are also encouraged by healthcare providers. Things such as disposing of used tissues, avoiding contact between your hands and eyes or mouth and washing your hands are simple ways to cut back on the spread of the illness.

Children often times seem to be those hardest hit by the flu-bug and even the most meticulous parents cannot make sure that their kids are practicing good illness-preventing hygiene while at school or daycare.

"It's really difficult with kids," Grossberg said. "Keep your kids home if they get sick and try to get them to wash their hands often with soap and water and use hand-sanitizers."

Corby King, attendance supervisor with the Putnam County Deptartment of Education, says that so far, the school system has been "fairly fortunate" during this season.

"It has hit some individual schools really hard," King said. "We've had some high numbers of absences at individual schools."

The high numbers of absences at a particular school can last for a few days, consecutively, or even up to a week.

The county school system has been averaging a 7.5 percent absentee rate.

"It's higher than normal," King said. "But, it's not real alarming either."

The hardest-hit school so far on any given day this week have been Prescott Elementary, with between 11-13 percent of students absent. Other schools with a lot of sick students include Baxter Elementary, Cane Creek, and Capshaw Elementary.

King stated that numbers at those schools were improving as kids are finally getting well enough to return to school. Any students that are not feeling well, running a temperature or are already sick should stay home until they have been symptom and fever-free for at least 24 hours. King also suggests that parents take children to their family doctor as soon as possible.

Teachers are sending work home for the students that are home sick. Parents are asked to call their child's particular school, as each school has a different policy, to get more information about absences and making up missed schoolwork.

"We do the best we can to work with the students to keep them on target while they're absent," King said.

Once students have been symptom free they can return to school. If the students are still required to take medication, they can bring that medication to their school. The medication must be in the original package and must be checked in with the school nurse or office secretary depending on a particular school's policy. The parents, regardless if the child is in grade school or high school, must complete a form regarding information on dosing instructions and timing of doses. The medicine is then administered by the school nurse or office personnel.

The overall consensus is that the best way to combat the flu or any other illness to wash hands often and stay home if symptoms begin to appear.

 

http://www.herald-citizen.com/view/full_story/11675062/article-Flu-bug-taking-bite-out-of-Putnam-students?