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100+ students absent as H1N1 confirmed at West Canada Valley
Local officials monitoring other schools, campuses
By COURTNEY POTTS and REBECCA CRONISER
Observer-Dispatch
Posted Sep 16, 2009 @ 08:15 PM
Last update Sep 16, 2009 @ 11:07 PM
NEWPORT ? The distinct scent of disinfectant filled the empty halls of West Canada Valley High School Wednesday as custodians wiped down the halls and classrooms after school.
The thorough cleaning was one of many precautions taken in reaction to a growing number of ill students - more than 100 of the district's 785 students missed all or part of the school day due to influenza-like symptoms or from parents who decided to keep their children home, Superintendent Ken Slentz said. Also Wednesday, the district learned of its first confirmed case of the H1N1 virus.
?We were warned it was coming. It came (and) we're addressing it,? he said.
Herkimer County Director of Public Health Gregory O'Keefe said the county is monitoring the rate of absences at other school districts in the area as well, but there has not been a significant increase in student illnesses elsewhere.
?It's not an epidemic in the community,? O'Keefe said. ?Right now, it's localized at the school. But it would be wrong not to expect a lot more spread.?
WHERE TO LEARN MORE
The West Canada Valley school district will continue updating its Web site ? www.westcanada.org ? with information about the H1N1 virus and its impact on students and school functions. It also has sent letters home to parents.
At 7 p.m. Thursday in the school auditorium, parents and residents can get answers from the county Public Health department, an infectious disease specialist and the district nursing staff.
Oneida County has yet to see any significant outbreaks of H1N1, but possible cases are showing up on college campuses in the Mohawk Valley:
Hamilton College has one student isolated with flu-like symptoms, and tests are being conducted to see if it is the H1N1 virus.
SUNYIT has had ?minimal reports? involving flu-like symptoms.
Colgate University reported 18 cases of students with flu-like symptoms since classes began in late August.
Mohawk Valley Community College has had a ?normal amount? of people showing flu-like symptoms, although an exact figure was not available.
Utica College and Herkimer County Community College did not report any possible cases.
No plans to close school
O'Keefe said that while more tests are pending for students at West Canada Valley, not every person with symptoms will be tested.
?It's assumed they have the H1N1 because that's the virus that is circulating right now,? he said.
While some elementary classrooms in the district had as few as six students in attendance Wednesday, Slentz said the school day was ?business as usual? in all other respects, and that there are no plans to cancel school at this time. That would only occur if there weren't enough staff members available to operate the buildings.
O'Keefe also said that closing schools has not proven to slow the spread of the virus, and the challenges of doing so outweigh any benefits.
?This is not a terribly miserable illness, and there are not widespread complications associated with it,? he said. ?For most people, this will be a moderate illness. The fear is that we're not in the 'most people' group.?
Slentz said 28 of the 71 elementary school students who missed school Wednesday were kept home as a ?precaution? and did not have flu-like symptoms.
Battling the spread of H1N1
West Canada Valley is performing ?extensive cleaning,? encouraging students to wash their hands, and isolating students who do exhibit flu-like symptoms until they can be taken home, Slentz said. Officials continue to stress that the best way to avoid the flu is to practice good hygiene by washing your hands often and covering your cough.
Those who have flu-like symptoms should stay home for at least 24 hours after their fever is gone - without the use of medicine to reduce the fever.
Slentz said the district will continue updating its Web site with information about the virus and has sent letters home to parents. A public forum and question-and-answer session with officials from the county Public Health department, an infectious disease specialist and the district nursing staff will be held at 7 p.m. today in the auditorium.
?We will keep the community as up-to-date as possible on this,? he said.
'You hope for the best'
While some West Canada Valley parents kept their students home as a precaution Wednesday, others were less alarmed by the H1N1 virus' presence.
Registered nurse Kim Gizzi said her two daughters are in high school and she plans to continue sending them to school each day unless they come down with symptoms themselves. She has talked to them, however, about not sharing drinks with classmates and the importance of proper hand washing.
?You sanitize the school; you hope for the best,? she said.
Eighth-grader Kristen Gizzi, 13, said teachers had explained to students that their age group is not at a high risk from the flu. She and classmate Hannah Wagner, 12, knew only one person - the cousin of a friend - who was sick.
Because many of the absent students are in lower grade levels, and because it is the beginning of the year, Slentz said missed work and missed classes are not as big of a concern as they would be closer to final exams.
?Timing-wise it really couldn't have hit at a better time for us,? he said. ?That being said, our preference is to not have it at all.?
If mass absences continue, the district may begin posting assignments online, however. Students with any form of prolonged illness also are eligible for home tutoring, Slentz said.
But for now, the district is playing things by ear.
?It truly is day-by-day,? Slentz said Wednesday. ?We knew what today was going to look like. What will tomorrow look like? Haven't a clue. The good news is we're prepared for whatever the situation may be.?
Local officials monitoring other schools, campuses
By COURTNEY POTTS and REBECCA CRONISER
Observer-Dispatch
Posted Sep 16, 2009 @ 08:15 PM
Last update Sep 16, 2009 @ 11:07 PM
NEWPORT ? The distinct scent of disinfectant filled the empty halls of West Canada Valley High School Wednesday as custodians wiped down the halls and classrooms after school.
The thorough cleaning was one of many precautions taken in reaction to a growing number of ill students - more than 100 of the district's 785 students missed all or part of the school day due to influenza-like symptoms or from parents who decided to keep their children home, Superintendent Ken Slentz said. Also Wednesday, the district learned of its first confirmed case of the H1N1 virus.
?We were warned it was coming. It came (and) we're addressing it,? he said.
Herkimer County Director of Public Health Gregory O'Keefe said the county is monitoring the rate of absences at other school districts in the area as well, but there has not been a significant increase in student illnesses elsewhere.
?It's not an epidemic in the community,? O'Keefe said. ?Right now, it's localized at the school. But it would be wrong not to expect a lot more spread.?
WHERE TO LEARN MORE
The West Canada Valley school district will continue updating its Web site ? www.westcanada.org ? with information about the H1N1 virus and its impact on students and school functions. It also has sent letters home to parents.
At 7 p.m. Thursday in the school auditorium, parents and residents can get answers from the county Public Health department, an infectious disease specialist and the district nursing staff.
Oneida County has yet to see any significant outbreaks of H1N1, but possible cases are showing up on college campuses in the Mohawk Valley:
Hamilton College has one student isolated with flu-like symptoms, and tests are being conducted to see if it is the H1N1 virus.
SUNYIT has had ?minimal reports? involving flu-like symptoms.
Colgate University reported 18 cases of students with flu-like symptoms since classes began in late August.
Mohawk Valley Community College has had a ?normal amount? of people showing flu-like symptoms, although an exact figure was not available.
Utica College and Herkimer County Community College did not report any possible cases.
No plans to close school
O'Keefe said that while more tests are pending for students at West Canada Valley, not every person with symptoms will be tested.
?It's assumed they have the H1N1 because that's the virus that is circulating right now,? he said.
While some elementary classrooms in the district had as few as six students in attendance Wednesday, Slentz said the school day was ?business as usual? in all other respects, and that there are no plans to cancel school at this time. That would only occur if there weren't enough staff members available to operate the buildings.
O'Keefe also said that closing schools has not proven to slow the spread of the virus, and the challenges of doing so outweigh any benefits.
?This is not a terribly miserable illness, and there are not widespread complications associated with it,? he said. ?For most people, this will be a moderate illness. The fear is that we're not in the 'most people' group.?
Slentz said 28 of the 71 elementary school students who missed school Wednesday were kept home as a ?precaution? and did not have flu-like symptoms.
Battling the spread of H1N1
West Canada Valley is performing ?extensive cleaning,? encouraging students to wash their hands, and isolating students who do exhibit flu-like symptoms until they can be taken home, Slentz said. Officials continue to stress that the best way to avoid the flu is to practice good hygiene by washing your hands often and covering your cough.
Those who have flu-like symptoms should stay home for at least 24 hours after their fever is gone - without the use of medicine to reduce the fever.
Slentz said the district will continue updating its Web site with information about the virus and has sent letters home to parents. A public forum and question-and-answer session with officials from the county Public Health department, an infectious disease specialist and the district nursing staff will be held at 7 p.m. today in the auditorium.
?We will keep the community as up-to-date as possible on this,? he said.
'You hope for the best'
While some West Canada Valley parents kept their students home as a precaution Wednesday, others were less alarmed by the H1N1 virus' presence.
Registered nurse Kim Gizzi said her two daughters are in high school and she plans to continue sending them to school each day unless they come down with symptoms themselves. She has talked to them, however, about not sharing drinks with classmates and the importance of proper hand washing.
?You sanitize the school; you hope for the best,? she said.
Eighth-grader Kristen Gizzi, 13, said teachers had explained to students that their age group is not at a high risk from the flu. She and classmate Hannah Wagner, 12, knew only one person - the cousin of a friend - who was sick.
Because many of the absent students are in lower grade levels, and because it is the beginning of the year, Slentz said missed work and missed classes are not as big of a concern as they would be closer to final exams.
?Timing-wise it really couldn't have hit at a better time for us,? he said. ?That being said, our preference is to not have it at all.?
If mass absences continue, the district may begin posting assignments online, however. Students with any form of prolonged illness also are eligible for home tutoring, Slentz said.
But for now, the district is playing things by ear.
?It truly is day-by-day,? Slentz said Wednesday. ?We knew what today was going to look like. What will tomorrow look like? Haven't a clue. The good news is we're prepared for whatever the situation may be.?
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