As the school year starts Tuesday and students move from outside into classrooms in close proximity with each other, officials will be watchful once again for any cases of the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu.
‘Time will tell what we deal with,? said Oakland County Health Division Manager/Health Officer Kathy Forzley. ‘The country is gearing up for that possibility. We should all be prepared and take the appropriate precautions.?
In June, just prior to the last day of school, a student at Brandon Middle School was confirmed as having H1N1, a new influenza virus that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention first identified in Americans in April 2009. The virus caused alarm in the spring as fatalities were reported and it spread across the country, causing symptoms similar to seasonal influenza such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue. Diarrhea and vomiting are also possible. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the largest number of novel H1N1 flu confirmed and probable cases have occurred in people between the ages of 5- and 24-years-old.
Some school districts closed their doors for a short time, but the OCHD ultimately urged schools to remain open, consistent with CDC guidelines, as the virus was observed to follow a similar pattern to seasonal flu. The Goodrich School District had no reported cases of H1N1, but Forzley said that H1N1 has stuck around during the summer and while the rate of transmission was ‘extremely low, with almost none recently,? the health division still had cases, including at summer camp programs.
‘It’s really an unknown and we are preparing for it as we would seasonal flu, with all of the things we know are instrumental in preventing the spread of flu,? Forzley said. ‘We are pushing information early, and keeping people aware.?
Officials in both the Brandon and Goodrich school districts will promote the advice of the health division? mainly encouraging students to maintain good personal hygiene.
‘Primarily we will be focusing on frequent handwashing and advising student not to touch their faces with their hands,? said Brandon Schools Superintendent Lorrie McMahon. ‘We are certainly aware and conscious of H1N1, but we will do as we’re told by the experts.?
Goodrich Schools Superintendent John Fazer had a similar plan.
‘Internally we’re monitoring our protocol in case an outbreak hits us,? he said. ‘We will get involved with the health department as soon as we start getting some cases. The state has sent us materials, we’re working on packets to send home with our younger students at some point’probably near the end of the first week of school.?
Dr. David B. Pinelli of the POH Regional Medical Center in Ortonville said handwashing with soap is particularly important after touching door handles in public places and shopping cart handles. He also notes that medication is available for certain patients that can lessen the severity of H1N1 flu symptoms if a diagnosis is made within 48 hours of becoming ill.
Forzley said seasonal flu vaccines will be available for $10 beginning Sept. 21. A vaccine for H1N1 will be offered for free once it becomes available, likely in late October or November. Patients will likely need two doses, taken 21 days apart.
‘Hopefully, we will have high demand in terms of people realizing the importance of getting that H1N1 vaccine when it’s available,? Forzley said. ‘Especially pregnant women, children 6 months to young adults up to 24 years of age, then 24-64 if they have underlying medical conditions. Seniors aren’t observed to be a population that we saw severe disease for H1N1 or even high transmission. Mostly children, because they have not been as exposed to as much. Also, it’s a new virus. and when it’s introduced into youngsters, it will have the potential to spread.?