Schools in battle with H1N1 virus
By MICHAEL RUKAVINA
OBSERVER Staff Writer
Schools across the region have had H1N1 on their radar since last spring when the New York State Health Department established an on-line service for districts to report absenteeism due to illness.
On Thursday, County Health Department Director, Christine Schuyler announced that the seasonal strain of influenza is not circulating and anyone with flu-like symptoms are suffering from H1N1. As concern for spread of the flu strand grows, schools have continued to work diligently with the county health department to report absenteeism on a daily basis.
Four districts including Fredonia, Dunkirk, Silver Creek and Gowanda have all reported a noticeable increase in absenteeism rates over the past week. While another six - Forestville, Cassadaga Valley, Ripley, Pine Valley, Westfield and Brocton have stated their rates have remained average or low by comparison for this time of year.
"Sue Parker, our district nurse, has informed me that there has been an increase in the number of student absences over the last week and a half," Fredonia Superintendent Paul DiFonzo said. "Obviously, with all the concerns regarding the flu and H1N1, parents have been encouraged to keep their children home and seek medical attention when particular symptoms exist. As always, we are working diligently with our staff, students and parents to try and maintain a clean and healthy environment in our schools."
A rough comparison to last year, DiFonzo said on Oct. 27, 2008 the middle school had 11 absences, and on Oct. 28, 2008 there were 16. This year those numbers have jumped on those days to 50 and 45 respectively. The words "trends" and "spikes" have been used recently to describe the ever changing flow of student population inside schools.
"We've been monitoring things daily, not only with students but staff as well. It seems to be Monday's and Tuesday's aren't as bad and as the week progresses the rate is increasing," Dunkirk City School Superintendent, Gary Cerne said. "Toward the end of last week we were averaging 30 percent out in the buildings and as I called around to other districts that seems to be the trend in Chautauqua and Erie County."
"The trend has been a recent spike," added Gowanda Superintendent, Charles Rinaldi. "For the district we're at about 12 to 14 percent absentee rates. It is higher than last year, but we've been noticing the trend climbing. We started out very similar to previous years, but just in within the last couple days of class week we experienced a spike. It's dramatic, but we're not in the 20's or even high teens yet."
As far as type of illness goes, Cerne said students seem to have been hit a lot with high fevers causing an increase in kids going home mid-day with most coming at the elementary and middle school level.
"When parents have called the health office to report their child's absence, we've asked them to describe the symptoms that their child is experiencing," Silver Creek Superintendent, David O'Rourke explained of the current process. "We record the number of students absent, and the numbers of students whose parents report Influenza-like-illness. We submit this information on a daily basis to the NYS Department of Health's databank - a source of information for both State and County public health officials."
According to Forestville, Pine Valley, Westfield and Brocton officials each school is carefully monitoring attendance, but neither have confirmed any unusually high numbers in absenteeism for their districts. Forestville Superintendent John O'Connor said that some students have been out with flu-like illness but district numbers remain consistent with previous years.
"Our school nurses are calling the parents of absent students to discuss symptoms," he stated. "We also report attendance on a daily basis to the New York State Department of Health Databank. We are also in regular contact with the Chautauqua County Department of Health. We rely on their guidance to do our part to help prevent the spread of flu. Preventing the spread of flu is everyone's responsibility."
"In general, our attendance has been the same as it has been in the past," Cassadaga Valley Central School Superintendent, John Brown added. "We haven't noticed any significant climb in absenteeism, to this point. A couple days ago I looked and we had over 92 percent of our students here."
According to Ripley Central School Wellness Office, the district is running an average of 7 percent of absenteeism, with a few days spiking to 11 percent. Other districts who reported percentage rates include Fredonia, who on Tuesday reported a 10 percent absenteeism rate district wide, and Pine Valley whose absentee rates at the elementary level have ranged between 3 and 5 percent.
There is some good news, although tentatively scheduled good news at that. The Silver Creek Central School District is slated to receive the next round of H1N1 vaccination.
"Melissa Lyon, Senior Planner for the CCDOH, presented to over 50 parents on Tuesday the 27th in an event that we facilitated at the district, in partnership with Forestville CSD," O'Rourke stated. "She answered questions on the H1N1 virus and the H1N1 student vaccination clinic that is tentatively scheduled at SCCS on Nov. 12 and 13."
The next school district in line to receive the vaccination is Dunkirk, with tentative dates scheduled to begin November 16 at the high school, Nov. 17 at the middle school, Nov. 18 at School 4 and 5 and Nov. 19 will be at School 3 and 7. NCCS is tentatively scheduled for a clinic on Nov. 20. All dates are tentative given the demand and availability of the vaccine. Families in the Dunkirk City School District can expect a permission slip to be sent home on Wednesday should the clinic be confirmed by the county health department.
Comments on this article may be sent to mrukavina@observertoday.com
|
MOMOFFOUR
|
|
|---|---|
|
11-01-09 7:14 PM
|
I dont know about shofuh, I am assuming that this person is either a child and does not have children. I am a parent and am concerned because many children are dying from this flu and if you have any facts, you then would know it is an epidemic. Plus, parents are sending kids to school sick and it spreads very rapidly. Shame on you. I care and there are a lot of other people that do care unlike yourself. Dont read the article if you dont.
|
|
shofuh
|
|
|
11-01-09 9:36 AM
|
wah wah wah, its a good thing there isnt a real pandemic or epidemic these days. with us as humans being such big babies about these things these days, everyone would probably kill themselves or something. who cares?
|