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Flu keeps 72 students home from Hilton Head Christian
By DANIEL BROWNSTEIN and KATE CERVE
Published Monday, September 14, 2009
About 16 percent of the students at Hilton Head Christian Academy were absent from school Monday because of an outbreak of flu and other seasonal illnesses.
Several of the 72 absent students have confirmed cases of H1N1, or swine flu, but the majority probably are suffering from more typical viruses, according to Wendy Cummings, the school's health and wellness coordinator. The most common symptoms were fever, headaches, sore throats and coughing.
Despite the outbreak at Hilton Head Christian, local health officials said there's no cause for panic.
Overall absentee rates at area schools remain steady, and the vast majority of students -- even those with swine flu -- feel better within four or five days, said Gale Parker, a public information officer for the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control
"We haven't seen very many spikes" in flu cases, she said. "But it's important for students who are sick to stay home so we can keep the healthy kids healthy."
Beaufort County School District nurses are charting daily the number of students with flu-like symptoms, but few, if any, of those illnesses have been confirmed as swine flu, say district officials.
Cynthia Hayes, the district's student services officer, said some students have symptoms of the H1N1 virus, but the school district doesn't have the means to diagnose those illnesses as swine flu. There is not an inordinately high number of probable swine flu cases at any particular school, she said.
The school district and area private schools report the number of students with flu-like symptoms to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. But only those with severe cases requiring hospitalization are tested for the H1N1 virus, said Nick Davidson, preparedness director for DHEC Region 8, which spans Beaufort, Hampton, Colleton and Jasper counties.
Most area schools have a handful of cases that could be swine flu, Davidson said.
Riverview Charter School in Beaufort, for example, has recorded about six probable swine flu cases, said board member Geri Kinton.
Davidson said schools are required to report any rise in flu cases to DHEC.
Swine flu first surfaced in April, and nearly every county in South Carolina has reported at least one case of the virus, according to DHEC. In the majority of reported cases, the illness has been mild.
At Hilton Head Christian, school officials are using the high absentee rate to educate parents and students about how to avoid spreading germs.Each classroom has a bottle of hand sanitizer, and surfaces are being cleaned more frequently.
"We're wiping down door knobs and keyboards all day long," said Cummings, the school nurse. "We've also been talking to students and teaching them about the importance of things like washing their hands and coughing into their elbows."
The message to parents is to not rush children back to school the minute they start feeling better.
"We have tried to educate parents to let them know their kids have to be fever-free without the use of a fever reducer for 24 hours as well as symptom-free before they can return to school," Cummings said.
http://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/story/966918.html
By DANIEL BROWNSTEIN and KATE CERVE
Published Monday, September 14, 2009
About 16 percent of the students at Hilton Head Christian Academy were absent from school Monday because of an outbreak of flu and other seasonal illnesses.
Several of the 72 absent students have confirmed cases of H1N1, or swine flu, but the majority probably are suffering from more typical viruses, according to Wendy Cummings, the school's health and wellness coordinator. The most common symptoms were fever, headaches, sore throats and coughing.
Despite the outbreak at Hilton Head Christian, local health officials said there's no cause for panic.
Overall absentee rates at area schools remain steady, and the vast majority of students -- even those with swine flu -- feel better within four or five days, said Gale Parker, a public information officer for the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control
"We haven't seen very many spikes" in flu cases, she said. "But it's important for students who are sick to stay home so we can keep the healthy kids healthy."
Beaufort County School District nurses are charting daily the number of students with flu-like symptoms, but few, if any, of those illnesses have been confirmed as swine flu, say district officials.
Cynthia Hayes, the district's student services officer, said some students have symptoms of the H1N1 virus, but the school district doesn't have the means to diagnose those illnesses as swine flu. There is not an inordinately high number of probable swine flu cases at any particular school, she said.
The school district and area private schools report the number of students with flu-like symptoms to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. But only those with severe cases requiring hospitalization are tested for the H1N1 virus, said Nick Davidson, preparedness director for DHEC Region 8, which spans Beaufort, Hampton, Colleton and Jasper counties.
Most area schools have a handful of cases that could be swine flu, Davidson said.
Riverview Charter School in Beaufort, for example, has recorded about six probable swine flu cases, said board member Geri Kinton.
Davidson said schools are required to report any rise in flu cases to DHEC.
Swine flu first surfaced in April, and nearly every county in South Carolina has reported at least one case of the virus, according to DHEC. In the majority of reported cases, the illness has been mild.
At Hilton Head Christian, school officials are using the high absentee rate to educate parents and students about how to avoid spreading germs.Each classroom has a bottle of hand sanitizer, and surfaces are being cleaned more frequently.
"We're wiping down door knobs and keyboards all day long," said Cummings, the school nurse. "We've also been talking to students and teaching them about the importance of things like washing their hands and coughing into their elbows."
The message to parents is to not rush children back to school the minute they start feeling better.
"We have tried to educate parents to let them know their kids have to be fever-free without the use of a fever reducer for 24 hours as well as symptom-free before they can return to school," Cummings said.
http://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/story/966918.html