Swine flu strikes Forestview
September 02, 2009 3:34 PM
School officials sent home 35 to 40 Forestview High School students Wednesday.
Some of those students have swine flu, also known as novel virus H1N1, according to Gaston County Health Director Colleen Bridger.
?We have been told that a couple of students have been told by their doctors that they have the flu. Anybody who has the flu right now has H1N1.?
But Bridger does not believe all of the students have the swine flu.
?The majority of the kids have fevers too low for me to think what they have is the flu,? she said.
People with swine flu typically have fevers of at least 101 degrees, Bridger said.
Bridger believes the sick Forestview students are suffering different ailments ? strep throat, bronchitis and flu.
Fevers were detected in most of the students, said Bonnie Reidy, Gaston County Schools spokeswoman. The students were isolated from the rest of the school population until their parents could come pick them up.
Parents of Forestview students received a letter about the rash of illness and a brochure about preventing the spread of flu, Reidy said.
No other Gaston County schools have reported such incidents since classes started last week, said Reidy.
Any sick person with a fever should not go to school or work, Bridger said.
?If you have a fever and you?re sick, stay out of school until you?ve been fever free for a day,? she said.
Stay home and drink lots of fluids. Those steps are particularly important in school settings where there is such a high population of people.
?The only thing we care about is that if the school system knows that they have a student with a fever that they isolate that student and send them home,? said Bridger. ?Once they don?t have a fever, 24 hours later, they can go back to school.?
Vaccinations for the swine flu are not available yet. Health officials predict shipments will arrive in October.
Tracking outbreaks is tricky. Tests for swine flu are expensive and rarely conducted locally, Bridger said. Doctors often test for other ailments and arrive at a flu diagnosis by process of elimination.
If a doctor diagnoses a patient with flu right now, it?s probably swine flu, she said.
?Ninety-nine percent of what?s circulating out there is H1N1,? said Bridger.
Ways to prevent the spread of swine flu:
- Take everyday actions to stay healthy.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
September 02, 2009 3:34 PM
School officials sent home 35 to 40 Forestview High School students Wednesday.
Some of those students have swine flu, also known as novel virus H1N1, according to Gaston County Health Director Colleen Bridger.
?We have been told that a couple of students have been told by their doctors that they have the flu. Anybody who has the flu right now has H1N1.?
But Bridger does not believe all of the students have the swine flu.
?The majority of the kids have fevers too low for me to think what they have is the flu,? she said.
People with swine flu typically have fevers of at least 101 degrees, Bridger said.
Bridger believes the sick Forestview students are suffering different ailments ? strep throat, bronchitis and flu.
Fevers were detected in most of the students, said Bonnie Reidy, Gaston County Schools spokeswoman. The students were isolated from the rest of the school population until their parents could come pick them up.
Parents of Forestview students received a letter about the rash of illness and a brochure about preventing the spread of flu, Reidy said.
No other Gaston County schools have reported such incidents since classes started last week, said Reidy.
Any sick person with a fever should not go to school or work, Bridger said.
?If you have a fever and you?re sick, stay out of school until you?ve been fever free for a day,? she said.
Stay home and drink lots of fluids. Those steps are particularly important in school settings where there is such a high population of people.
?The only thing we care about is that if the school system knows that they have a student with a fever that they isolate that student and send them home,? said Bridger. ?Once they don?t have a fever, 24 hours later, they can go back to school.?
Vaccinations for the swine flu are not available yet. Health officials predict shipments will arrive in October.
Tracking outbreaks is tricky. Tests for swine flu are expensive and rarely conducted locally, Bridger said. Doctors often test for other ailments and arrive at a flu diagnosis by process of elimination.
If a doctor diagnoses a patient with flu right now, it?s probably swine flu, she said.
?Ninety-nine percent of what?s circulating out there is H1N1,? said Bridger.
Ways to prevent the spread of swine flu:
- Take everyday actions to stay healthy.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.