MUSD prepares for H1N1

Last week the Maricopa Unified School District sent home a letter to parents, communicating some guidelines and precautionary measures set forth by the Pinal County Public Health Department in regard to H1N1, the Swine Flu virus, for this coming season.

Parents are being asked to teach hygiene at home, and all the schools in Maricopa will be providing hand-washing classes to students. The letter asks parents to keep their child home if the child is sick or showing any flu-like symptoms. It advises vaccination against the seasonal flu for children as well as parents. In addition, the letter encourages maintaining a healthy lifestyle and making backup childcare plans.

“The problem right now in the United States is that H1N1 is very widespread, and it’s not a severe form for a majority of people. They are not recommending that everyone get tested anymore. You go to the doctors, and they may test you for Influenza A or Influenza B, which is seasonal flu, but they are not H1N1 testing you unless you are hospitalized. The reason being is they can measure any increase in the strength of the virus or mutation,” said Marilyn Wyant, MUSD head of health services.

“The Pinal County Public Health Department is monitoring us very closely. Anytime we have problems at all, they are asking us to call. They are watching; if we have any concerns, we call them, and they’ll walk us through it, whether they think it’s H1N1 or seasonal flu,” she added.

“If the students are symptomatic in any way, you can not return them for 24 hours after they no longer use Tylenol, cough drops or anti-viral medications. They do not want them back in the schools until that is completely over with. That’s the same for staff members; if you’re sick, you have symptoms; you stay home,” Wyant said.

“They (Pinal County Public Health) are really pushing vaccinations for the staff and the students; of course, the students have the priority,” said Wyant. They are still looking at any adult who cares for a child under the age of six months; that’s a high-risk group. All school age children five to 18, health care providers, the police, anyone who is a first responder and adults who have medical problems should be vaccinated; then after those groups, they will go to the general population.”

“We are really working on our end with the students on hand washing, good hygiene, respiratory hygiene where we cover our coughs, wash our hands, blow our nose. Also keeping their hands away from their eyes, nose and mouth since that is a way of spreading the germs from surfaces to inside your body,” Wyant explained.

As for school closures, Wyant said, “Pinal County Public Health is having a watch and wait scenario. Right now the virus we have is no stronger than what the regular seasonal flu is. The difference is that it seems to be spreading faster between people. As the season approaches and we have more and more illness, and we’ve documented it in the schools with higher absentee rate and staff absences, we will then develop a plan with Pinal County Public Health to contain the virus.”

At the behest of Pinal County Public Health another plan has been implemented at Maricopa Elementary School, where all of the medically fragile students attend. “There are signs outside the door; no staff, no parents, no visitors can go through the door without going to the health office first. The nurses are clearing people, checking to see if they are symptom free. If they had a recent cold, productive cough or are running a fever, they can’t have access into the classroom,” Wyant explained.

Posters of “Henry the Hand” have been purchased and placed around the schools to reinforce hand washing and cough covering. Wyant said that Pinal County Health liaison Joanne Galindo, who has been working with the schools, has been going in and teaching hand washing. Of last year’s school population, 40% had taken Galindo’s hand washing class, according to Wyant.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has listed the following as symptoms for H1N1: fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting.

Also the CDC advises that if you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.

In children, emergency warning signs requiring urgent medical attention include:
· Fast breathing or trouble breathing
· Bluish or gray skin color
· Not drinking enough fluids
· Severe or persistent vomiting
· Not waking up or not interacting
· Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
· Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
· Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
· Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
· Sudden dizziness
· Confusion
· Severe or persistent vomiting
· Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Photo by Brandi Stange