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 With
continued attention on confirmed cases of H1N1
Influenza (swine flu), the district is providing this page
as a resource for parents and community members seeking
facts and information about this strain of the flu virus.
A message from
the superintendent
Nov. 5, 2009
As expected,
we have seen an increase in student absents with apparent
“influenza-like illnesses,” (ILI) in our schools. ILI is the
new phrase being used by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) to describe a person who shows symptoms of
any type of flu. Our absenteeism rates are fluctuating on a
daily basis, and we currently appear to be on a downward
trend.
We
believe the higher than usual absenteeism is due, in part,
to the fact that school nurses are sending more children
home during the day when they have flu-like symptoms and
that more parents are keeping their children home at the
first sign of illness—for which we thank you. That is
exactly what health authorities are asking everyone to do to
help prevent the spread of both colds and influenza-like
illness.
To date, we are not aware of any
laboratory confirmed cases of H1N1 influenza in the
district. The term “confirmed H1N1” is being used quite a
bit, but it may not be used accurately. Relatively few cases
are laboratory confirmed cases tested specifically for the
novel (new) H1N1 virus.
One of our county
public health departments has shared the following outline
of what testing is being done and what it is actually
“confirming.”
Most ILI that is being seen by
medical practitioners is presumed to be H1N1. The doctors,
if they test at all, are performing a Rapid Antigen Test
(RAT). It takes about 20 - 30 minutes for results. The test
has a low sensitivity, which means that it will pick up Flu
A or B in about 40-50% of tests. Even when the test shows a
negative result, it can be a false negative.
The confirmatory testing to verify
if a specimen is H1N1 positive is done at Wadsworth Labs in
Albany. The only providers who are authorized to send
specimens there are “sentinel” providers. They send a
limited number to the lab each week. The reason for
“sentinel” providers is for surveillance purposes only. It
is to help the health departments all over the country
follow where this flu is occurring. It also lets us know if
a new or different strain has started to circulate (e.g.
seasonal flu).
So, what we
are seeing right now is the novel H1N1 circulating. If a
provider does the RAT and it is positive for Flu A they can
be pretty sure it's the novel H1N1; however, it is NOT
confirmed by PCR. So, we can't say for sure that it is the
novel H1N1 virus infecting their patient.
Providers
are seeing patients that have ILI. Even if they perform the
RAT & it is negative, they are to use their clinical
judgment and treat the patient accordingly.
I want to
reassure you that we are monitoring the situation closely in
our schools and will continue to work closely with our
school nurses and the local health department to provide the
safest learning environment possible for all of our
students. We’re mindful of the fact that flu season has
started earlier than usual and younger age groups seem to be
impacted at higher rates. With that being said, the district
is continuing to encourage students to use strategies to
prevent flu-like illness.
For example, hand
sanitizers are now available in all school buildings for
student, staff and visitor use. Our maintenance staff
continues its daily routine of sanitizing all parts of our
buildings according to standards established by our local
and state health departments.
Our school nurses
are on the lookout for students with flu-like symptoms.
Students who have these symptoms are sent home for
recuperation and to prevent the spread of the flu. When
parents/guardians call the school to report that their
children are sick, they will be asked if the child has
flu-like symptoms. Please understand that providing this
information is completely voluntary. We are collecting the
data at the request of local and state health departments
and to track levels and types of illness in the district.
To help keep you, your children and our
school community healthy, please follow the recommendations
set forth by the Center for Disease Control to prevent the
spread of influenza and other illnesses:
-
Wash your hands
frequently and thoroughly.
-
Cough or sneeze
into the inside of your elbow.
-
Stay home if you
are sick of if you have flu-like symptoms. Do
not send children back to school until they no longer
have a fever for 24 hours without the use of any fever
reducing medication. Additionally, avoid close
contact with people who are sick.
For more information on
H1N1 virus and influenza-like illness, including helpful
resources for students, staff and parents, visit the links
provided above.
Thank you for your
continued assistance.
Read all letters/updates from the
district concerning H1N1 and flu:
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