Topeka — As students across Kansas return to the classroom, state officials on Tuesday warned that schools will be a primary target of the fast-spreading swine flu epidemic.
All schools should have “sick rooms” to isolate students and staff with flu symptoms, and school officials should work with local health departments to set up what probably will be an unprecedented vaccine effort this fall, they said.
“All of us — parents, teachers, administrators — need to work very hard to keep schools open, and we have to be ready and have plans in place if they need to close, because that could happen suddenly,” said Dr. Jason Eberhart-Phillips, state health officer.
He said the H1N1 virus has spread rapidly and in unpredictable ways. “We really need to expect the unexpected,” he said.
Eberhart-Phillips urged renewed emphasis on hygiene and making sure that people who are sick stay home, and away from school or work.
“Well children belong in school, sick children belong at home,” he said.
Fast-spreading virus
The World Health Organization projects that 2 billion people worldwide, including 20 percent to 40 percent of the U.S. population, could be infected with the virus during the next two years. That means as many as 1.1 million Kansans could get infected if no vaccine were available.
Annually, 5 percent to 20 percent of the population gets the flu nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The H1N1 strain was first detected approximately four months ago and has spread to 160 countries. It has claimed at least 800 deaths, and unlike earlier pandemics, which have hit the elderly the hardest, this one is more concentrated among young people.
Swine flu cases have been confirmed in 46 of the 105 counties in Kansas, officials said. Twenty-three people have been hospitalized and one patient died.
A vaccine is currently being tested, but may not be ready for use until September or October.
“We’re gearing up for the immunization campaign of our lifetime,” Eberhart-Phillips said.
Concerns about preparation
After hearing from Eberhart-Phillips, several members of the State Board of Education voiced concerns over whether schools were prepared.
But Education Commissioner Alexa Posny tried to allay the concerns. “We’re not just sitting here waiting for something to happen,” she said.
One Education Board member, Kathy Martin of Clay Center, said some people may be reluctant to take the vaccine because they think human embryonic tissue was used to develop it. But Eberhart-Phillips said no human embryos were used in developing the vaccine.
Swine flu has spread during winter months in the Southern Hemisphere — our summer — and officials agree that is likely in the North America as the weather cools.
Symptoms of swine flu are similar to seasonal flu: a fever of more than 100 degrees, body aches, coughing, sore throat, respiratory congestion and, in some cases, diarrhea and vomiting.
Health officials recommend that people who have flu-like symptoms remain isolated until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.
Local officials ready
Local school and health officials have met several times, including on Tuesday, to discuss strategies to contain the flu.
“I think we are right on top of it,” said Sonja Gaumer, nursing facilitator for Lawrence public schools. “We know this has been coming,” she said.
She said every school building will have an area designated for students who are sick, whether it is a room or the nurses’ office. She said schools also will be proactive in urging hand-washing, sanitizing highly used areas, and covering coughs.
She said the schools are willing to open their doors before or after school or on weekends, if needed, to provide time for immunizations.
Eberhart-Phillips said health officials now believe that schools should remain open during the pandemic unless drastic circumstances exist.
When swine flu cases were first reported in the spring, some schools across the nation shut down for weeks.
Eberhart-Phillips said health officials discovered that the students were simply socializing and congregating in different venues, so closing the schools didn’t stop the virus’ spread.
Comments
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Logan72 (Alia Ahmed) says…
I wonder how many Kansans typically get other types flu in a two year period.
autie (anonymous) says…
Marion tried to warn us..but we didn't listen...N95's all around.
The_Original_Bob (anonymous) says…
We are going to have to militarize our border where the trade routes enter the state.
autie (anonymous) says…
Would that be I-35 and I-70, honeybuns?
The_Original_Bob (anonymous) says…
Hell, 54, 50... all of them. This is serious business.
gr (anonymous) says…
"As many as 1.1 million Kansans could be infected with swine flu in the next two years"
Why 1.1 million and not more or less? Why two years and not 1 or three? Do they know exactly how this flu will progress? Is this something to be worried about?
"Symptoms of swine flu are similar to seasonal flu,"
Guess not.
Bet they aren't any more accurate about the swine flu as they are about the regular flu.
KEITHMILES05 (anonymous) says…
Who the hell cares about another flu? Stop trying to make this a natural disaster. Live and let be. Let it go.
gr (anonymous) says…
But, we gotta have a world crisis. The global warming scam kinda piddled out. If no crisis, people might start paying attention and getting angry at their legislators.
autie (anonymous) says…
Now every time I see a pig driving up 75 or 169 from Oklahoma, it is just going to bug me man.
Kookamooka (MJ Browne) says…
I wish there were some way to home test for this so sick people don't have to sit for long periods of time in waiting rooms. I'm afraid to go to the Dr. for well-child and other preventative care. Or a mobile testing lab. Have the technicians come to those people possibly infected-even schools. How long does it take to find out if it's that particular strain?
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…
Your nose and mouth are the Superhighways to Infection. Try to avoid breathing through your nose or mouth.
bender (anonymous) says…
"Who the hell cares about another flu?" Well, I think the big concern is that the 1918 flu pandemic started out with a mild strain in the spring, then came back in the fall and killed around 50 million. We had a mild strain this spring and it spread quickly. If it mutates into a more deadly form, things could get nasty.
I don't think anyone is trying to "make this into a natural disaster", I think they're trying to prevent it from becoming a natural disaster.
gr (anonymous) says…
"Mother Nature and flu viruses don't care how “advance” we are."
Marion, you have got it exactly.
It doesn't care whether we have pretend vaccinations which no one has given any science showing they work. And the CDC and WHO most likely know they have nothing if we should have a real epidemic as has happened in the past. Many people will die -- vaccinated or not.
What makes them think they can get any better of a vaccine than the poor ones they admit each flu season? Has anyone determined whether it works or not? If many people catch the flu, they say they guessed wrong on which strain it was. If not many get sick, then they say they must have guessed right.
Where's the science?
denak (anonymous) says…
This headline smacks of sensationalism. It's a scare tactic.
Of course, our schools "could" be the front line. Our schools are the front line for lice also.
Anytime you have a huge number of people in one specific area, the chances that there will be numerous people infected with an illness goes up.
Personally, since I work for a company that has thousands of employees, I think the government should consider it a breeding ground and let me go home......with pay of course.:0)
Dena
LloydDobbler (anonymous) says…
"One Education Board member, Kathy Martin of Clay Center, said some people may be reluctant to take the vaccine because they think human embryonic tissue was used to develop it. But Eberhart-Phillips said no human embryos were used in developing the vaccine."
Oh my God! It's extremely depressing that someone this stupid is on our State Board of Education.