Alcoa/Blount County schools close due to flu; Area Clinic "swamped"

[Niko]

Re: Alcoa/Blount County schools close due to flu; Area Clinic "swamped"

Fewer absences after extended weekend for Blount Co. schools

Posted: <script type="text/javascript"> wnRenderDate('Wednesday, September 9, 2009 11:02 AM EST', '', true); </script>Sep 09, 2009 11:02 AM EDT <noscript>Wednesday, September 9, 2009 11:02 AM EST</noscript><!--END wnDate-->
<!--END WNStoryHeader-->
MARYVILLE (AP) -- Keeping students home has apparently broken the cycle of illness at Alcoa City Schools and is improving attendance at the Blount County schools.

Alcoa City Schools reported 93 percent attendance on Tuesday, the first day of classes since last Wednesday.

In the county system, William Blount High School reported 230 absences Tuesday, an improvement from nearly 450 who were out last week.

Blount County Director of Schools Rob Britt said attendance improved at the three schools most affected by absences last week.

Britt said it appeared the system was "on the way to recovery."

http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?s=11098591&

[Niko]

Re: No school in Blount County, but football continues

Well, as long as the football players stay six feet away from each other and wash their hands alot, then they won't infect, and possibly kill, others.

Ummm, what are these people thinking??????????

Ummm, apparently they aren't! Game pic... (edit: sorry - not the same game - but I'm sure it was similar)

[Niko]

Re: Alcoa schools close due to flu illness (East TN)

Alcoa clinic swamped by people with flu-like symptoms


Posted: <script type="text/javascript"> wnRenderDate('Thursday, September 3, 2009 5:22 PM EST', '', true); </script>Sep 03, 2009 5:22 PM EDT <noscript>Thursday, September 3, 2009 5:22 PM EST</noscript><!--END wnDate--> <!--END WNStoryHeader-->
Park Med Urgent Care Center in Alcoa has been seeing about 100 patients a day.

By HANA KIM
6 News Reporter
ALCOA (WATE) -- While many people don't have confirmation they have H1N1 flu, also known as swine flu, there's certainly evidence that swarms of people are getting sick across East Tennessee.

On Thursday at the Park Med Urgent Care Center in Alcoa, the staff saw one sick person after another.

"It's been very busy. We've been seeing about 100 a day," said Valerie Millsapps, with Park Med.

"I've been having chills, fevers, pains, headaches," said one patient, Megan Peoples.

She hopes she doesn't have swine flu. "I feel like I do, but it will be scary. I know that."

As Alcoa Middle Schooler Dylan Kelley left Park Med, he said he learned he most likely does have the flu.

The phones in the clinic were ringing off the hook. The staff says they've never seen anything like this, especially in September.

Usually around this time of year, they have no patients coming in with flu-like symptoms.

"It's quite unusual. A couple of years ago, we were busy around February with the flu," Millsapps said.

That was the seasonal flu, something that many people can fight by taking Tylenol or Advil.

"I tried Tylenol and stuff for my headaches," Megan Peoples said, but added nothing is working.

That's why she went to Park Med, hoping something stronger will cure her misery.

Most urgent care centers are open Monday through Sunday and you don't need an appointment.

Park Med says a visit usually lasts up to half an hour.

Clinics and hospitals can't determine whether someone definitely has swine flu. However, the tests can tell if the symptoms are different from the seasonal flu.


http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=11043274

[morningperson]

Re: No school in Blount County, but football continues

Well, as long as the football players stay six feet away from each other and wash their hands alot, then they won't infect, and possibly kill, others.

Ummm, what are these people thinking??????????

[Niko]

Re: No school in Blount County, but football continues

See these threads also:
Blout County, TN - Woman blames school for son's case of H1N1
Alcoa schools close due to flu illness (East TN)


Blount County Schools close for illness

Posted: <script type="text/javascript"> wnRenderDate('Wednesday, September 2, 2009 3:03 PM EST', '', true); </script>Sep 02, 2009 3:03 PM EDT <noscript>Wednesday, September 2, 2009 3:03 PM EST</noscript><!--END wnDate--> Updated: <script type="text/javascript"> wnRenderDate('Wednesday, September 2, 2009 4:52 PM EST', '', true); </script>Sep 02, 2009 4:52 PM EDT <noscript>Wednesday, September 2, 2009 4:52 PM EST</noscript><!--END wnDate-->
<!--END WNStoryHeader--> MARYVILLE (WATE) -- The Blount County School System will be closed Thursday and Friday due to high absenteeism for illnesses, according to the director of schools.

Students will return Tuesday, after the Labor Day holiday.

In a letter to parents, Director of Schools Rob Britt wrote, "The illnesses we are seeing range from students running a fever to students being sick at their stomach to students who have upper respiratory symptoms."

The letter goes on to say, "We have been advised by the Blount County Health Department, that when a patient goes to their local physician, a test can be given to determine if the illness is due to flu. But the test does not tell whether it is the 'seasonal' flu or the 'swine' flu (H1N1). The only way to know for sure if it is the H1N1 is for the culture to be sent to the state lab and wait several days for the results. But if you're sick, you're sick."

Some of the afterschool FRIENDS programs will be open Thursday and Friday. Parents must call their particular FRIENDS site to find out if it's open.

There will be an additional $5.00 charge per child per day to use the FRIENDS program Thursday and Friday.

Contact your local health department or health care provider if you'd like to get the vaccines.

Administrators closed the three schools in the Alcoa city system from Wednesday through Labor Day due to illnesses and high rates of absence.

http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=11035344

[Niko]

No school in Blount County, but football continues



http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=11038149
No school in Blount County, but football continues

Posted: <script type="text/javascript"> wnRenderDate('Wednesday, September 2, 2009 11:03 PM EST', '', true); </script>Sep 02, 2009 11:03 PM EDT <noscript>Wednesday, September 2, 2009 11:03 PM EST</noscript><!--END wnDate-->
<!--END WNStoryHeader--> By JILL MCNEAL
6 News Anchor/Reporter

MARYVILLE (WATE) -- The list of area schools closed for sickness is growing. Blount County schools are shut down through Labor Day.

Alcoa City Schools closed are also closed through the holiday.

But extra curriculars aren't being canceled.

About a dozen Heritage High School varsity football players have been out sick this week, but their coach says the game must go on.

"You expect them to be out for injuries and things like that, but to be out with the flu this early is kind of scary," says head coach Brint Russell, who's a little under the weather himself.

He says his players started dropping one by one on Monday.

"Right now, we're missing a starting linebacker, missing a starting receiver and others. So we're down heading into Friday," Russell says.

"It just makes you feel like you're missing out on a lot," says junior lineman Cory Howell.

He's one of those watching practice from the sidelines.

"I went to the nurse and she said my lungs are not getting enough oxygen and so she was like, it just may be what's going around, but not as serious," Howell says.

He's convinced, though, that it's not the H1N1 flu, also known as swine flu.

"I've seen people with the swine flu, and you can tell something is really wrong with them," Howell says.

Blount County Director of Schools Rob Britt is asking students to stay away from crowds and the germs they carry for the next five days, and that includes football stadiums.

"I'd as soon not have as many fans out this Friday if they're sick and have them all out next week and the following week," coach Russell says.

William Blount High School's game will also go on as planned.

[Niko]

Re: Alcoa schools close due to flu illness (East TN)

Flu closes Alcoa schools

By Sherri Gardner Howell
<!-- End .byline --> Originally published 01:52 p.m., September 1, 2009
Updated 04:07 p.m., September 1, 2009


<!-- End story_meta --> Alcoa school officials have decided to close Alcoa schools Wednesday through Labor Day because of the flu.

Alcoa Director of Schools Tom Shamblin said on Tuesday that school will close Wednesday and Thursday, a scheduled in-service day on Friday is cancelled and students and teachers will be out as scheduled for Labor Day on Monday, returning to school on Tuesday, Sept. 8.

?This gives us six days to break this cycle,? said Shamblin.

On Tuesday, 150 students at the middle school were absent for illness and approximately seven teachers, Shamblin said. The elementary school had over 100 students absent as well.

?It is my understanding that kids have gone to their health care providers and tested positive for the flu,? Shamblin said. ?They don?t know which kind it is until they send the culture off, so they can?t say they have Swine flu or what kind of flu, just that they have the flu. There are other illnesses out there that are also affecting the children, too.?

The Alcoa Middle School football games have been cancelled. The Alcoa High School will play Friday at Loudon as scheduled.

Blount County schools are on schedule to be open tomorrow, but administrators are considering closing due to the flu outbreak in the community.

Schools director Rob Britt said Tuesday afternoon he is checking attendance in making the decision. ?We want to check attendance again tomorrow,? he said. ?We have some schools that have significantly higher number of absences, and some schools are right at their (daily) average. It fluctuates, so we are looking at it real close, but I?m not ready to commit to being closed.?

Britt said that the Center for Disease Control doesn?t give much direction or recommendation in this type situation. ?They don?t have clear guidelines on dismissal of school. They don?t recommend it unless your attendance is getting way up there,? he said. ?We?re going to take a common sense approach and a fair degree of reason as it relates to attendance.?

Britt said he doesn?t want parents to be worried about children?s attendance in this situation. ?We?re going to come to their assistance. There are going to be some (excused absences). This is not a normal situation, and we can?t expect to hold people to our usual standard of attendance when we?re dealing with something that is little bit out of ordinary. We don?t have lot of control over it so we?re going to have to use a lot of discretion and flexibility in attendance.?

Editor Lance Coleman contributed to this story.

[Chuck]

Re: Alcoa schools close due to flu illness (East TN)

Too close to home now

Yes; our daughter and her husband live in Maryville.

[Niko]

Re: Alcoa schools close due to flu illness (East TN)

Too close to home now

See these threads more flu i this area:
Tennessee Lenoir City School gets first case of H1N1 virus
Blout County, TN - Woman blames school for son's case of H1N1


http://www.thedailytimes.com/article...KING/909019996
Alcoa City Schools closed through Monday due to high absentee rates, teacher illnesses

<small> Originally published: September 01. 2009 3:09PM
Last modified: September 01. 2009 3:11PM </small> Alcoa City Schools closed through Monday due to high absentee rates

Parents of Alcoa City School students will be getting the news today that classes are being canceled Wednesday and Thursday due to high absentee rates. Due to Friday being a scheduled in-service day and Monday being Labor Day, that essentially means students will not be returning until Tuesday.

John Campbell, director of administrative services, said that a letter is going home with students today and the direct phone message system will also be enabled notifying parents of the cancellation.


“It's not necessarily the flu,” Campbell said, recognizing that an immediate connection will be made to the recent H1N1 virus, also known as the swine flu.

“We've got a mix of intestinal bugs.”

Campbell said what school officials do know is that while attendance rates are around 95 percent, the middle school is at 70 percent; elementary school, 75 to 80 percent; and the high school is at 89 or 90 percent. Campbell said the high school rate was “tolerable,” but noted that “We have teachers that are out; teachers that are here sick.”

Campbell said Alcoa City Schools Director Tom Shamblin has talked with officials at Blount County Health Department and while officials there had no recommendation, “they are supportive of closing the buildings” to students and groups.

[cmmc]

In the Maryville area
http://www.volunteertv.com/health/he.../56627732.html

Published reports indicate Alcoa schools will close Wednesday and Thursday because of an increase in absenteeism from students suffering from the flu.

The school system is already closed Friday for an in-service day and Monday for the Labor Day holiday. Students will return to school Tuesday, September 8th.

We have a crew working on getting reaction and comments from school leaders. We will have new developments here on VolunteerTV.com and later today, beginning on Volunteer TV News FIRST at 4:00 and tonight at 5:30.