Dallas School Closes Because Of Seasonal Flu Outbreak

HenryN · Feb 5, 2009

Dallas School Closes Because Of Flu Outbreak

DALLAS (CBS 11 News) ―

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A flu outbreak has forced the closure of a North Texas school. According to administrators at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School in Dallas, one-fourth of the student body is sick.
Principal Patrick Magee told CBS 11 News he has never seen an outbreak like this one. Nearly 200 of the school's 800 students were out sick on Monday and Tuesday.
St. Thomas Aquinas administrators consulted with the Dallas health department and decided to hold normal classes on Wednesday, and then close the school for the rest of the week.
Crews will disinfect the school over the weekend and classes will resume Monday.
Principal Magee said although the school will re-open next week, parents should still keep their kids at home if they are sick.

Parents who talked with CBS 11 News said the closure is an inconvenience, but they'd rather see the kids healthy. "It's probably a good thing to close the school and get everyone healthy," parent Tod Franklin said of the situation. "Kids will probably regret it when they have to have a couple extra days in the summer. But that's the way it goes."
Several school staff members have also become sick. Magee said the school offered free flu shots to staff members, but not everyone took advantage of it.
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School has students from Pre-K through 8th grade.

http://cbs11tv.com/local/St.Thomas.Aquinas.2.927062.html

HenryN · Feb 5, 2009

Re: Dallas School Closes Because Of Flu Outbreak

Re: Dallas School Closes Because Of Flu Outbreak

St. Thomas Aquinas will be closed Thursday, 2/5 and Friday, 2/6 due to an outbreak of flu and other illness among our students. Classes will resume on Monday, 2/9. Prospective student testing will still take place on Saturday, February 7.

http://www.staschool.org/

HenryN · Feb 5, 2009

Re: Dallas School Closes Because Of Flu Outbreak

Re: Dallas School Closes Because Of Flu Outbreak

Flu, strep outbreak causes St. Thomas Aquinas School to cancel classes

[SIZE=-1]08:37 AM CST on Thursday, February 5, 2009[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1]By SHERRY JACOBSON / The Dallas Morning News [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]sjacobson@dallasnews.com [/SIZE]

St. Thomas Aquinas School officials have taken the unusual step of canceling classes today and Friday because of a flu and strep-throat outbreak they said has reached "epidemic proportions."
"For the past three days, we've averaged about 200 students at home or being sent home," principal Patrick Magee said Wednesday.
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"We want to kind of cease the contagion and sanitize the buildings as best we can."
With nearly 25 percent of the Old East Dallas private school's 830 students stricken, parents were notified Wednesday to keep their children home until Monday.
After-school activities also were canceled, including sports events and Scout activities, in the upper and lower schools.
Dallas County health officials reported that flu activity was "intense throughout Dallas County," although normal for this time of year. St. Thomas appeared to be the only school with such high absenteeism.
"This is not normal," said Dr. Wendy Chung, the county's chief epidemiologist. "You would not expect to see that high a percentage of kids absent for any reason."
Services at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church will not be affected by the school's closing, although anyone with flu symptoms is urged to stay home. The flu typically causes a high fever, headaches, tiredness, coughing, a sore throat and body aches. Diarrhea and vomiting also may occur.
Magee said the nurse's offices at both St. Thomas Aquinas schools had become a "revolving door for sick kids," which prompted the staff to contact the Dallas County health department for guidance.
It was St. Thomas' decision to close in hopes of curbing the outbreak, Chung noted. "The main emphasis needs to be on traditional measures to stop the spread of flu by limiting person-to-person contact," she said.
The health department recommends regular hand washing to kill the flu virus as well as using hand sanitizers and covering your mouth when coughing.
The primary prevention tool, however, is getting a flu shot, Chung said.
"Flu cases typically peak in February, so it's not too late to get a shot," she said. "It takes two weeks to become effective, but we know the vaccine is a good match for the flu strains we're seeing now."
Magee said so many St. Thomas students were absent that teachers could not hold regular classes.
"We had classes of eight kids, where there should be 23," he said. "You can't really teach or give a test. All you can do is review."
The closing surprised some St. Thomas parents who were aware that school officials were grappling with what to do about such high absenteeism.
"I've never heard of a school closing like this, but I totally understand it," said Tod Franklin, who has two children at St. Thomas.
"Things were pretty normal [last] Friday, but by Monday almost 25 percent of the school was out."
In 2002, a number of rural districts in the Dallas-Fort Worth area suspended classes after a virulent flu stain emptied many of their classrooms.
At the time, health officials debated the effectiveness of such closings when the flu was continuing to spread within those rural communities.
St. Thomas officials said the days off will give the staff time to sanitize common areas within school buildings, such as doorknobs and faucets, where infectious agents might cling.
Parents also were urged to keep their children home Monday if they had not been fever-free for at least 24 hours.
"I think we'll be back in business next week," Magee said. "We just need everyone to get well."
SYMPTOMS

Influenza usually starts suddenly and symptoms may include:

•Fever (usually high)
•Headache
•Tiredness (can be extreme)
•Cough
•Sore throat
•Runny or stuffy nose
•Body aches
•Diarrhea and vomiting (more common among children than adults)

For treatment, see your doctor. Antiviral drugs should be started within two days of becoming sick. When used this way, these drugs can reduce flu symptoms and shorten the time you are sick by one or two days.
It's not too late to get a flu shot

Dallas County's immunization clinic is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the health services building, 2377 N. Stemmons Freeway. For more information, call 214-819-2163.

SOURCES: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Dallas County Health and Human Services Department
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<HR class=blueline>Comments (5)
Posted by True Texan | 2 hours ago

Maybe the parish can pray to the shrine of Our Lady of Guacamole for relief; I bet somewhere in East Dallas someone has a corn flake shaped like Jesus, or there's a tree with a bark scrape that resembles the Virgin Mary....they line up for that stuff in Oak Cliff (and vendors come and sell "holy" candles to the worshipers lined up to see such an amazing manifestation of God's presence in our world).

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<HR class=greyline>Posted by Leo1 | 5 hours ago

There are different forms of flu. The flu shot that people get every year will only prevent one strain of flu. Take your vitamins faithfully everyday to prevent so your cells are surrounded and the flu cannot penetrate those cells Especially if you take Vitamin C --EDUCATE YOURSELVES-- STAY HEALTHY AND LIVE WELL....

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<HR class=greyline>Posted by Cityfan | 16 hours ago

Isn't it true that many people with shots are still catching the flu? That is what I heard, just not sure it is true. Does anyone know? I would like to see some stats on how many of the flu "victims" did take shots.

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<HR class=greyline>Posted by allmymoneygoestothechildren | 18 hours ago

There is no easy cold anymore. If shots are not preferred, there is a flu mist. Check with pediatricians. Until next time, break out the chicken soup.

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<HR class=greyline>Posted by Roadrunner Mom | 18 hours ago

Have these people never heard of flu shots?

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Buzz up!
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HenryN · Feb 5, 2009

Re: Dallas School Closes Because Of Flu Outbreak

Re: Dallas School Closes Because Of Flu Outbreak

St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School (located near the corner of Abrams and Mockingbird) has shut down for the rest of the week due to a flu epidemic. According to an e-mail sent out to parents today, about 170 to 180 students have been out with the flu each day this week ? based on the school's enrollment, that constitutes epidemic proportions by Dallas County Department of Health standards. In addition to closing until Monday, administrators are requesting that students be free of flu symptoms 24 hours prior to returning to school. While the kids are out, the school, church and gym will be sanitized.

St. Thomas is the second largest Dallas Parochial school with about 830 students enrolled.

http://www.advocatemag.com/lakewood/blog/Flu_closes_St_Thomas_school_.html?c=y

HenryN · Feb 5, 2009

Re: Dallas School Closes Because Of Flu Outbreak

Re: Dallas School Closes Because Of Flu Outbreak

Flu Outbreak Shuts Down
School

Created On: Wednesday, 04 Feb 2009, 5:56 PM CST

DALLAS - So many children have called in sick to a large private school in East Dallas, school administrators decided to close the doors for the rest of the week.
St. Thomas Aquinas officials say nearly 200 children have failed to show up at either campus at 3741 Abrams Rd. or 6255 Mockingbird Ln. this week due to illness. The school has 830 students enrolled.
Of those that called in sick, 83 had confirmed cases of flu, 10 had cases of strep throat, and the rest had undiagnoses illnesses, said administrators.
Parents will have to make alternate arrangements for child care for the rest of the week.
The school will reopen Monday as usual.

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/news/Flu_Outbreak_Shuts_Down_School

HenryN · Feb 5, 2009

Re: Dallas School Closes Because Of Flu Outbreak

Re: Dallas School Closes Because Of Flu Outbreak

School's Out ... for the Flu Flu, strep throat outbreak closes Dallas school

By SCOTT GORDON, OMAR VILLAFRANCA and ASHANTI BLAIZE
Updated 1:30 PM CST, Thu, Feb 5, 2009
Related Topics: Joyce Limber

An outbreak of flu and strep throat has forced the St. Thomas Aquinas School in Dallas to close until Monday.
Watch Video

An outbreak of flu and strep throat has closed the St. Thomas Aquinas School until Monday.

<SCRIPT type=text/javascript> $(document).ready(function(){ $('#jqm_wrp_2') .jqDrag('.jqDrag') .jqm({ trigger: '#storyMedia2', ajax: 'http://www.nbcdfw.com/i/dispatcher/?command=LoadVideo&id=39123477&seq=1&refsec=/health/tips_info', target: '#jqm_cont_2', overlay: 0, onShow: function(h) {h.w.css('opacity',1).fadeIn("fast");}, onHide: function(h) {h.w.fadeOut("fast",function() { if(h.o) h.o.remove(); }); } }); }); </SCRIPT>School's Out ... for the Flu



The closure affects both the upper and lower schools at separate campuses, said Development Director Joyce Limber.
"Since Monday, we've been tracking a significant amount of flu and strep throat," Limber said. "Our concern is for (the students') health and welfare."
Principal Patrick Magee said an average of 200 students stayed home or were sent home for the last three days with the flu or strep throat. Some classes were almost empty, he said.
"Some classes had eight kids in them, and it's a little hard to move forward in instruction when you only have eight kids," Magee said.
The schools have about 840 students.
Magee said closure will give sick students time to recover and allow the administration to sanitize the school.
"We have a whole team and crew coming in over the weekend -- well Thursday through Sunday -- to scrub the school; vents, windows, desks, you name it," he said. "We will be a clean school on Monday with great healthy kids, I hope."
Limber said the decision was made in consultation with the Dallas County Health Department. She said parents were notified Wednesday afternoon by mass phone calls and e-mails.
The decision to close for the rest of the week sits well with parents such as Annette DiCarlo. She has one child at St. Thomas, and another child at a different school. Both are home sick.
"I really am glad for the whole school and for all the kids that haven't gotten sick yet, and I'm glad they won't be sick," she said.
County health experts said they are closely monitoring the situation.
"We're talking about a significant amount of kids," said Zac Thompson, of the Dallas County Health Department. "It was the school's call regarding the closing."
Dr. Doug Hardy, of UT Southwestern, said the flu is hitting Dallas hard.
"This should be a good reminder for parents that the flu is here, it's active, and parents should take their kids to get shots," he said.
Church services will be held this weekend at St. Thomas Aquinas as scheduled.

http://www.nbcdfw.com/health/tips_info/Flu-Outbreak-Closes-Dallas-School.html
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Dallas School Closes Because Of Seasonal Flu Outbreak

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