Swine Flu Health Alert
September 05, 2009
H1N1 and seasonal influenza update
Welcome back to school from the school nurses! Since we all know
that healthy children are better learners, we are providing the
latest information about influenza (seasonal flu) and novel H1N1
flu, the pandemic virus that is in the news.
Every year in the U.S., an average of 5% to 20% of the population
gets seasonal influenza. Those most affected are the elderly, young
children, and those with certain chronic health conditions. The new
type of influenza, formerly called “swine flu” is called novel H1N1
influenza. Typical symptoms of H1N1 are fever, cough, sore throat,
runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue,
diarrhea and vomiting. Not all of these symptoms may be
present.
Schools have a great responsibility to help prevent the spread of
any disease, and may be instrumental in H1N1 and influenza
prevention. About 55 million students and 7 million staff attend
the more than 130,000 public and private schools in the U.S. each
day. By implementing prevention measures, schools can help protect
one fifth of the nation’s population from the flu. The Key
Prevention Messages are:
1. Stay home if you are ill.
a. Remain home until fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing
meds.
b. During spring 2009, most people infected with H1N1 had fevers
2-4 days.
2. Use good hand hygiene and cough etiquette.
a. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are most effective type.
b. Decrease sharing of materials hand to hand.
c. Wash hands for 20 seconds with soap frequently or use hand
sanitizers.
d. If tissues are not available, coughing or sneezing into the arm
or sleeve is recommended.
3. Get vaccinated.
a. Priority groups for H1N1
1. pregnant women
2. household contact and caregivers for children <6 months
3. Healthcare and emergency personnel
4. All people from 6 months to 24 years of age
5. Persons aged 25 years to 64 years who have health conditions
associated with higher risk of medical complications from
influenza
b. Seasonal flu vaccination
1. it is not too early now, the protection will last the whole flu
season
2. flu vaccines change as do the viruses so yearly vaccination is
necessary
3. priority groups for seasonal influenza vaccine are:
a. anyone aged 6 months thru 4 years old
b. household contacts and caregivers of children aged < 5years
and adults aged 50 years and over, and contacts of those <6
months
c. those with chronic pulmonary, cardiovascular, renal, hepatic,
cognitive, neurologic/neuromuscular, hematological or metabolic
disorders or are immunosuppressed
d. those on long-term aspirin therapy
e. resident of long-term care facilities
f. those who will be pregnant during the influenza season
persons age 50 and over
4. Identifying and isolating the ill
a. Keep those awaiting transport separate from others, and wearing
a mask
b. Waiting area should be away from others and not a room used for
anything
else.
As the novel H1N1 flu becomes more prevalent, there are more
prevention activities suggested by the Centers for Disease Control
and local health departments that will affect schools. Watch for
more information regarding those important activities.
