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Michigan City, Indiana
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Absenteeism higher in county schools, due to H1N1 virus
LA PORTE - Absenteeism is higher than normal in La Porte County school corporations, according to a press release from the La Porte County Health Department.
"We believe this is due to the influx of H1N1 virus," Dr. Charles Janovsky, health officer for the health department, said in the release.
"One school system has 30 percent of their middle-school-aged children out sick, and another has 57 children out from one elementary school. As the CDC has stated, children are most likely to get the H1N1 virus, and any virus is most often spread by children rather than adults. It is imperative that families use standard precautions to halt the spread of the H1N1 virus. This virus has usually been a mild disease, but as we've seen locally, it can create complications that can be very severe."
Betsy Kohn, director of communication for the Michigan City Area Schools, is unaware of any MCAS student suffering from H1N1.
"We have been sending our attendance figures to the health department," Kohn said, "but our absenteeism rates are about normal for this time of year."
Janovsky urges everyone to be diligent about hygiene procedures:
? Wash hands frequently with warm soapy water, at least every two hours.
? Sneeze or cough into a tissue and dispose of it - then wash hands.
? If a tissue is not handy, cough or sneeze into the crook of the elbow or inside the front of a shirt. Then wash hands.
? Do not share food or eating and drinking utensils with others.
? Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
? Those who are sick should stay home.
The CDC recommends staying home from work or school and limiting contact with others to keep from infecting them for at least 48 hours after a fever disappears, without aid of Tylenol or other fever-reducing medication.
The county health department has received an initial shipment of vaccine that contains significantly fewer doses than had been anticipated. Additional doses of vaccine will be shipped weekly. This first supply will go to hospitals, pregnant women and emergency health workers.
The health department's first school-based clinic for students will be scheduled this week.
A clinic for MCAS has not yet been scheduled, Kohn said.
La Porte County Health Department administrator Paul Trost said, "The state is currently directing these shipments to all local health departments based on population. Individual health departments do not have the authority to order vaccine at this time; it is a state function until supplies increase."
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Absenteeism higher in county schools, due to H1N1 virus
LA PORTE - Absenteeism is higher than normal in La Porte County school corporations, according to a press release from the La Porte County Health Department.
"We believe this is due to the influx of H1N1 virus," Dr. Charles Janovsky, health officer for the health department, said in the release.
"One school system has 30 percent of their middle-school-aged children out sick, and another has 57 children out from one elementary school. As the CDC has stated, children are most likely to get the H1N1 virus, and any virus is most often spread by children rather than adults. It is imperative that families use standard precautions to halt the spread of the H1N1 virus. This virus has usually been a mild disease, but as we've seen locally, it can create complications that can be very severe."
Betsy Kohn, director of communication for the Michigan City Area Schools, is unaware of any MCAS student suffering from H1N1.
"We have been sending our attendance figures to the health department," Kohn said, "but our absenteeism rates are about normal for this time of year."
Janovsky urges everyone to be diligent about hygiene procedures:
? Wash hands frequently with warm soapy water, at least every two hours.
? Sneeze or cough into a tissue and dispose of it - then wash hands.
? If a tissue is not handy, cough or sneeze into the crook of the elbow or inside the front of a shirt. Then wash hands.
? Do not share food or eating and drinking utensils with others.
? Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
? Those who are sick should stay home.
The CDC recommends staying home from work or school and limiting contact with others to keep from infecting them for at least 48 hours after a fever disappears, without aid of Tylenol or other fever-reducing medication.
The county health department has received an initial shipment of vaccine that contains significantly fewer doses than had been anticipated. Additional doses of vaccine will be shipped weekly. This first supply will go to hospitals, pregnant women and emergency health workers.
The health department's first school-based clinic for students will be scheduled this week.
A clinic for MCAS has not yet been scheduled, Kohn said.
La Porte County Health Department administrator Paul Trost said, "The state is currently directing these shipments to all local health departments based on population. Individual health departments do not have the authority to order vaccine at this time; it is a state function until supplies increase."
