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Wonder if some of the hospitalizations were in Thomas County:
Flu symptoms send many students home
Posted: Aug 14, 2009 4:49 PM EDT
Students go home with flu-like symptoms
Thomasville, GA (WALB) - With school back in session, hundreds of students and staff in Southwest Georgia are forced leave school in the middle of the day with flu-like symptoms.
Public heath departments are treating the cases as pandemic H1N1 flu clusters. Even though every person who goes home sick has not received positive test results for H1N1, they are being treated that way.
In Thomas County schools, more than 100 kids were sent home Friday. School officials were warned by health officials to expect a wave of swine flu among students, likely during the third week of classes.
In Thomas County, dozens of students starting coming down with symptoms Wednesday, a little over a week after school began.
On the elementary school level, more than 30 kids were sent home Friday. At the county middle school, 57, and several more at the high school went home sick. The numbers were about the same the past couple of days.
But it isn't just students going home with high fevers, several teachers have gone home too. We spoke with a 1st grade teacher today who is doing everything she can to keep her kids in the classroom, and at home, swine-flu free.
"With two babies at home I go home and change my clothes before I get my babies because my youngest I don't want to take any risks of her catching anything," said Jenny Holt.
"We've been very aggressive with sending kids home," said Head Nurse Terri Matthews. "We've identified any and all kids who are complaining of headache stomach ache, sore throat, anything that may give us some indication they may have the flu, as well as fever."
Kids are sent home with even the slightest fever. When they come to the nurse they have to stay there until a parent can pick them up. Under no circumstances are sick children allowed to ride the bus home. It's important to remember Pandemic H1N1 flu is more contagious than regular seasonal flu and has a high attack rate in children and teens.
So teachers everywhere are stressing hand-washing over anything else. If you are a parent and your child is sent home, remember to keep your child home until 24 hours after their fever is gone without using fever reducing medicine. If you send them back sick, they're only going to get sent home again.
Health officials advise flu patients to get plenty of rest, drink plenty of water, and wear a mask around others in your home if possible. Also, don't give aspirin to children with the flu, use a fever reducer like Tylenol.
And if symptoms include trouble breathing or vomiting, seek emergency treatment.
Here is the most recent documented death here in Georgia:
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Albany man dies of swine flu
Jennifer Parks
Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
ALBANY - The worst impacts of the recent flu pandemic have been seen throughout the nation and the world.
Now, they have been felt in Southwest Georgia.
An Albany area man in his 60s is the first patient in the Southwest Health District's 14-county area and the third Georgia resident to die from H1N1, or swine flu, health officials say.
The man had underlying health conditions and had been hospitalized before his death on Friday. Those with underlying health conditions are among the people most at risk for life-threatening complications.
"People just need to be aware of their risk status," said Southwest District Health Director Dr. Jacqueline Grant. "Certainly if they've been exposed and they are at risk, they need to let their provider know."
Other at-risk populations include individuals that are immunosuppressed, children under age 5, adults over age 65 and pregnant women.
"They are all at increased risk," Grant said. "(The Albany death) does heighten our sense of urgency. It's a sad day for all of us in Southwest Georgia, but it's no surprise."
No other patients in the district are currently hospitalized with confirmed cases of H1N1 infection, although nine hospitalizations (including the deceased patient), have occurred since the infection began spreading through Georgia earlier this year.
A Cobb County woman who died in July was the state's first fatality linked to H1N1. Late last week, another Cobb County resident became the state's second confirmed swine flu fatality.
Despite the fatalities associated with the disease, officials say the illness is still considered mild to moderate in nature.
"Most people that are healthy are doing fairly well," Grant said. "There has been no change in severity."
A vaccine for H1N1 is unlikely to be ready until mid-October at the earliest, officials say.
H1N1 is all over Georgia. It is endemic all over the place. I am seeing at least 3 patients per day with significant symptoms which does not even account for those with minimal symptoms like I had in May.
So, the actual numbers are wrong. The numerator is 3 but the denominator is in the 100,000's, just not reported.
So, 3 dead is bad but less than with the usual seasonal influenza.
So, give it a rest and don't go panicking the general public.
Got symptoms? Stay home until your fever is gone. If in the risk groups: pregnant, morbidly obese, diabetic, transplant patient, bad lungs, or the others as listed by CDC, CALL your doctor.
The chill pill is a subject of much study over the millenia.
My personal favorite at this time includes a chilled pinot grigio.
If my wheels were still up to it, it would include strong match of rugby with the required post game imbibment of quality beer & comradery.
H1N1 is all over Georgia. It is endemic all over the place. I am seeing at least 3 patients per day with significant symptoms which does not even account for those with minimal symptoms like I had in May.
So, the actual numbers are wrong. The numerator is 3 but the denominator is in the 100,000's, just not reported.
So, 3 dead is bad but less than with the usual seasonal influenza.
So, give it a rest and don't go panicking the general public.
Got symptoms? Stay home until your fever is gone. If in the risk groups: pregnant, morbidly obese, diabetic, transplant patient, bad lungs, or the others as listed by CDC, CALL your doctor.
So are you saying I have to actually stop screaming and running in circles!!?? ****! That's how I like to spend my weekends! Oh well, better pass on the Pinot to ease my panic (gulp, gulp, gulp)!
But Prince Prospero was happy and dauntless and sagacious. -Poe
I am seeing at least 3 patients per day with significant symptoms which does not even account for those with minimal symptoms like I had in May.
I'm guessing they weren't tested since DPH said they are only testing hospitalized cases?
My GP in NE Atlanta said he is seeing some pretty severe illness, and in a very unlikely population. So while I am not "panicked", I certainly will pass on your chill pill, thank you.
You are possibly correct.
No one is testing for H1N1 since it is endemic and there is no verified other flu strain in the area at this time. There will be an occasional other type passing through, but for Atlanta, until sometime in the future with clear evidence, it is all H1N1.
And here comes the school cases. We are creating our own artificial 2nd wave just by opening schools again.
Yes, the schools remaining open is a big problem on many levels, which for me boils down to the kids health and the continued spread of the virus. I'm sure we will see in the next couple weeks many more coming down with the virus in schools.
My concern is a change in the lethality of H1N1 and our children serving as the canaries in the coal mine.
But Prince Prospero was happy and dauntless and sagacious. -Poe
We are creating our own artificial 2nd wave just by opening schools again.
Doctor. What do you see, on your end, that would be the catalyst that would close schools for significant period of time; essentially, families SIP-ing at home?
At present, unless some unforeseen change occurs in illness pattern with the virus, it will become an operational decision.
When a point is reached where there are either too few students to continue (ex- 10 students of 300 in a class level would not make sense since 290 is too many to drop back a grade or send to summer school.), or , too many staff are out such that a practical learning environment is impossible.
The reason they are still open is because of the decrease of illness severity from what was feared in April. Also, anytime schools close it adversely affects the entire economy & local operations due to parents having to be out to take care of the student.
....which really puts parents in a quandary, because it is the law that children attend school. But....if you have a child with underlying conditions..you are putting your child in harms way, in my opinion. So, what do you do? Break the law? Save your child? I hope the schools are letting everyone know the risks to children with underlying conditions. The only saving grace is that it is early on, and there is plenty of availability now at the hospitals.
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