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Flu has hit Lee County earlier, harder this year
September 24, 2009
SANFORD ?
Lee County Schools students are being hit earlier than normal this year with the flu virus.
Some of that uptick is likely the result of the appearance of the H1N1 virus, more commonly referred to as swine flu.
But most doctors are only testing for seasonal flu since so far H1N1 has proved to be a mild virus.
?We have had cases of flu pretty much everywhere,? said Mary Hawley Oates, supervisor of school nurses for Lee County Schools. ?We may have a couple of schools that have an increased number of cases and then it will move to a different school the next week.?
H1N1 also is mainly affecting a younger generation, Lee County Health Director Howard Surface said.
?The fear is that this is a young person?s disease,? Surface said. ?The data is that it?s telling us it?s more in the younger-person population?
County data indicates the average age for H1N1 infection is about 12.5 years.
North Carolina is one of 21 states in the U.S. reporting widespread influenza, Surface said. Virginia and South Carolina also are on that list, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Hawley Oates said the school district has sent a letter home with students as a reminder of what parents should do if their children are sick.
Parents are asked to keep their children home if they have a fever and that students don?t return until 24 hours after a fever subsides.
The school district first noticed flu cases when year-round school Tramway Elementary opened in July.
?The number of flu cases are greater for this time of year,? Hawley Oates said. ?It?s usually not until late October or early November that it starts, or often times even January.?
The Chatham County Public Health Department and Chatham County Schools are partnering to give seasonal flu vaccines to fourth- through eighth- graders with parental permission today and Friday.
The project will be funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the CDC in an attempt to lower student infection rates.
Lee County health officials are preparing to administer the H1N1 vaccine once it becomes available, which is expected to be sometime in the next month. Federal regulators approved four swine flu vaccines last week.
Surface said he expects between 20 and 30 volunteers to qualify to assist county health staff administer the vaccines, which might only take one dose to be effective.
He said while swine flu has so far proved mild, one concern is that this is only the second of three waves of the virus.
A third wave during the winter months could prove much more prevalent and harmful, Surface said.
In general, people should use common sense to help prevent the disease?s spread, he said.
?If you?re sick, stay home for a day and shop tomorrow,? Surface said. ?Same with schools and same with churches.?
September 24, 2009
SANFORD ?
Lee County Schools students are being hit earlier than normal this year with the flu virus.
Some of that uptick is likely the result of the appearance of the H1N1 virus, more commonly referred to as swine flu.
But most doctors are only testing for seasonal flu since so far H1N1 has proved to be a mild virus.
?We have had cases of flu pretty much everywhere,? said Mary Hawley Oates, supervisor of school nurses for Lee County Schools. ?We may have a couple of schools that have an increased number of cases and then it will move to a different school the next week.?
H1N1 also is mainly affecting a younger generation, Lee County Health Director Howard Surface said.
?The fear is that this is a young person?s disease,? Surface said. ?The data is that it?s telling us it?s more in the younger-person population?
County data indicates the average age for H1N1 infection is about 12.5 years.
North Carolina is one of 21 states in the U.S. reporting widespread influenza, Surface said. Virginia and South Carolina also are on that list, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Hawley Oates said the school district has sent a letter home with students as a reminder of what parents should do if their children are sick.
Parents are asked to keep their children home if they have a fever and that students don?t return until 24 hours after a fever subsides.
The school district first noticed flu cases when year-round school Tramway Elementary opened in July.
?The number of flu cases are greater for this time of year,? Hawley Oates said. ?It?s usually not until late October or early November that it starts, or often times even January.?
The Chatham County Public Health Department and Chatham County Schools are partnering to give seasonal flu vaccines to fourth- through eighth- graders with parental permission today and Friday.
The project will be funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the CDC in an attempt to lower student infection rates.
Lee County health officials are preparing to administer the H1N1 vaccine once it becomes available, which is expected to be sometime in the next month. Federal regulators approved four swine flu vaccines last week.
Surface said he expects between 20 and 30 volunteers to qualify to assist county health staff administer the vaccines, which might only take one dose to be effective.
He said while swine flu has so far proved mild, one concern is that this is only the second of three waves of the virus.
A third wave during the winter months could prove much more prevalent and harmful, Surface said.
In general, people should use common sense to help prevent the disease?s spread, he said.
?If you?re sick, stay home for a day and shop tomorrow,? Surface said. ?Same with schools and same with churches.?
