The H1N1 virus may be hitting the Cook County Schools campus. On Wednesday, October 21, 2009, Superintendent Beth Schwarz reported, “We’ve had a handful of kids go down today with high fevers.” An instant alert was sent out to district parents regarding the spread of the influenza-like illness.
A message from the superintendent on the Cook County Schools website (www.cookcountyschools. org) said, “Ahhhhhhchooooooo! The dreary weather has carried in influenza-like illness to Cook County Schools. …There have been no confirmed cases of H1N1 within our school but the symptoms we are seeing today fit the description, and given the recent outbreaks in the Duluth area, we anticipate we are dealing with H1N1.”
Superintendent Schwarz does not plan to close the school unless she sees “an incredible amount of absenteeism”— over 50%—or a lot of the teachers call in sick. She said she is telling teachers to prepare a week’s worth of lessons they could hand over to a substitute if they got sick.
H1N1 cases at Sawtooth Mt. Clinic
Sawtooth Mountain Clinic nurse Teresa Borak said in a phone conversation with the Cook County News-
Herald,
“We have one confirmed case of H1N1.”
The clinic sent one swab sample to the Minnesota Department of Health two weeks ago and two this week. The Department of Health is trying to track the virus and has requested that the clinic send up to two samples a week for testing. Only those cases that fit certain criteria – fever over 100 degrees, cough and/or sore throat – are sent, Borak said.
Treatment for H1N1 may vary depending on a person’s health history. A person with a history of asthma who comes in within the first 48 hours of onset, for example, might be treated with an antiviral medication, Borak said.
H1N1 is hitting certain population groups harder than seasonal flu. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, the number of hospitalizations due to the H1N1 virus at the beginning of October was highest among 5-to-18-year-olds and second highest among 25-49-year-olds. Borak said H1N1 is a new strain, although one theory is that people of a certain age and older may have been exposed to it back in the 1970s and developed antibodies to it.
Healthy adolescents and adults with no history of underlying chronic diseases might not be treated with an antiviral. Antivirals are not as effective if they are not administered with the first 48 hours of illness, Borak said.
MN State High School League position
An October 21 memo from Howard Voigt of the Minnesota State High School League addressed the possibility of interruptions in tournament play due to the H1N1 virus. “Although unlikely, but entirely possible,” he wrote, “outbreaks of the serious novel H1N1 flu virus could impact some teams or individuals involved in these tournaments. What would happen if a team or individual [were] unable to compete due to the novel H1N1 flu virus? A number of factors must be considered. Paramount is the health risk to participants involved in competition who are not ill. Equally important is the ability to advance teams and individuals in the various levels of tournaments, particularly as that relates to scheduling and venue availability. …Some difficult and agonizing decisions may be required.”
Voight quoted Dr. Ruth Lynfield, state epidemiologist for the Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention, and Control Division of the Minnesota Department of Health (September 21): “Because of the amount of time, close proximity, and sharing of personal items that often occurs in sports, there may be increased risk of influenza spread in sports teams. Also, most of the people who have had novel H1N1 influenza in Minnesota have been school-aged children.”
Voight concurred with a recommendation from the Minnesota Departments of Health and Education that athletes with symptoms of influenza not participate in activities but rather stay home until their fevers have been gone without fever-reducing drugs for at least 24 hours. In addition, they stated that products containing aspirin should not be used on children with symptoms of influenza.
The Minnesota State High School League board of directors executive committee urged administrative committees to exercise as much flexibility as possible in scheduling games. “In all circumstances,” the summary stated, “the health ramifications of potentially spreading the novel H1N1 flu virus must be considered before teams or individuals are allowed to compete.”
Treatment and prevention
Sawtooth Mountain Clinic physician Paul Terrill has posted a message about H1N1 on the clinic website. “Health officials are advising anyone with flu-like symptoms to see their doctor immediately,” he says. “Those symptoms include fever, body aches, chills, fatigue, dry cough, headache, sore throat and stuffy nose.
“Antiviral drugs, such as Tamiflu,” he continues, “are effective, but doctors are urging people not to take them as a preventative measure so there will be enough to go around in the event of widespread infection.”
Both Borak and Terrill recommended preventative measures. “Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands,” Borak said. You should cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing (and then throw the tissue away) or cough or sneeze into the crook of your elbow. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth and try to avoid contact with sick people. If you get sick, stay home. Don’t go back to work or school until your fever has been gone for 24 hours.
Information on the H1N1 virus can be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control (www.cdc. gov/swineflu/) or the Minnesota Department of Health (www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/diseases/ flu/swine/index.html or 1(800) 657-3903.
Also see a related story on influenza and homeopathy on page A15.
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