Pandemic Flu in Boarding Schools

Prep School Admissions Prep School Parents
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<p>Princess’ Dad-please stop posting incorrect information. The CDC is recommending people stay away from sick people NOT find them to infect yourself.</p>

<p>The H1N1 vaccine will be available in a nasal spray dose containing live virus AT FIRST, but will shortly thereafter be administered in the form of an injection with no live virus. Many people receive the annual flu shot in the nasal spray form and do not experience ANY flu symptoms.</p>

<p>CC’ers, please do not take the information you read on this site as fact. A quick visit to the CDC website on the flu will provide you with almost daily updates and accurate information.</p>

<p>FWIW-If the best course of action was to expose yourself to others with H1N1, there would be no vaccine–seriously.</p>

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<p>Interesting point BBMom
Here is an article regarding misinformation from H1N1 Hotline personnel, go figure:</p>

<p>Swine flu hotline staff are ‘making deadly errors’</p>

<p>By Daniel Martin
Last updated at 10:38 PM on 20th September 2009</p>

<p>Doctors across the country believe patients are dying because of blunders by staff at swine flu call centers.</p>

<p>Serious illnesses such as meningitis, tonsillitis and pneumonia had been missed by the untrained staff, they said.</p>

<p>Thirty-seven per cent of GPs told researchers they have had to pick up the pieces of treating those wrongly told by operators they had swine flu.
Judgment calls: Employees at an NHS centre in Watford, Herts</p>

<p>Judgment calls: Employees at an NHS center in Watford, Herts</p>

<p>And three doctors said their patients had died as a result of the errors, amid fears that many more cases have gone unreported.</p>

<p>The research by Pulse magazine revealed that 91 per cent of GPs believe Tamiflu should no longer be given to everyone with swine flu symptoms for fear this could lead to the virus developing resistance.</p>

<p>The survey also underlines growing concern over the effectiveness of the National Pandemic Flu Service hotline.</p>

<p>At the height of the epidemic last month, the Mail revealed that lines were being staffed by 16-year-olds waiting for their GCSE results. </p>

<p>One GP, who said he did not want to be identified, told Pulse a patient had died of meningitis after an incorrect telephone diagnosis.</p>

<p>Two other doctors, one from Dorset and the other from Wiltshire, said their patients had died in similar circumstances.</p>

<p>Another doctor in Derbyshire said a three-year-old had been diagnosed with swine flu and given Tamiflu by the hotline - but was subsequently diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia and admitted to hospital.</p>

<p>The GP said: ‘It was unlikely she ever had swine flu. It’s near-impossible to diagnose a febrile illness over the phone, and I am afraid one could miss meningitis or other serious illnesses by presuming it is swine flu.’</p>

<p>A doctor on Tyneside said one of her patients, first thought to have had swine flu, had subsequently been diagnosed with salmonella, and was admitted to hospital after becoming severely dehydrated.</p>

<p>Ellen Wright, a GP in Greenwich, South-East London, said there had been many reports of adverse reactions to Tamiflu, which was given to hundreds of schoolchildren early on in the outbreak.</p>

<p>‘There have been a lot of complications, especially in children given it in schools and at the beginning of the outbreak, and I suspect that’s what a lot of GPs have been seeing,’ she said.</p>

<p>‘There’s new evidence that resistance is developing in the U.S., and their Food and Drugs Administration is reviewing its policy. It’s time for the Department of Health to review it too.’</p>

<p>A range of lesser Tamiflu side effects were reported by GPs, including vomiting, diarrhoea and lethargy.</p>

<p>Last year, there were 3,000 cases of meningitis with 300 deaths and hundreds left disabled.</p>

<p>The early symptoms can easily be mistaken for those of flu and include fever, headache, stiff neck, dislike of bright light, drowsiness, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, confusion and in some cases, but not all, a rash.</p>

<p>Bridie Taylor, education director of the Meningitis Trust, said: 'We are urging everyone to be aware of the signs and symptoms as the colder months begin to creep in.</p>

<p>‘It is all the more important to err on the side of caution and seek medical attention as a matter of urgency if you suspect the disease.’</p>

<p>Read more: [Swine</a> flu hotline staff are ‘making deadly errors’ | Mail Online](<a href=“Swine flu hotline staff are 'making deadly errors' | Daily Mail Online”>Swine flu hotline staff are 'making deadly errors' | Daily Mail Online)</p>

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<p>baseballmom
Note, I am not suggesting a “swine flu party” such as “chicken pox parties”. However, more and more ID docs are suggesting a passive approach to the flu. eg: "Michael Olesen, chief of infection control at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis and a flu pandemics expert, said he was not planning to seek out infection but was “taking a passive approach to getting infected.” “Now I’m thinking of taking my chances … I think to myself, yeah, I’ll be miserable for a week — but that’ll beat maybe being seriously sick later.”</p>

<p>We have learned that the US Strain is not severe, that there is not enough Tamaflu for even severe cases, that getting the flu protects you while the vaccine is temporary.</p>

<p>And so far there are no “shots”. They are under development, but it is debatable whether they will be available in the near future. </p>

<p>BUT, there are those who should definately get the vaccine. The CDC recommends it especially for those who are most likely to suffer complications and die of the infection.</p>

<p>Again, the CDC and docs are not recommending “swine flu parties”. But many are suggesting the passive approach for most as it will provide longer immunity.</p>

<p>Last year, most private schools “closed” if they had a child with documented swine flu. Now they are not.</p>

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<p>I encourage everyone concerned about the flu to seek advice from a source they know they can trust: for some it will be a CDC or WHO website, or a message from their doctor, or a particular news source. The CC site has people who are healthcare professionals, scientists, well-informed lay people, and ill-informed people of all ilks. But you can’t tell who’s who. I’ve seen postings that I find accurate, but also some that are misleading and frankly dangerous, but no one has any reason to trust me over other posters. So get advice from a source you know you can trust!</p>

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<p>Here’s a link to the current CDC H1N1 advice: [CDC</a> H1N1 Flu | Novel H1N1 Vaccination Recommendations](<a href=“http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/acip.htm]CDC”>http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/acip.htm). People between the ages of 6 months and 24 years of age are a priority group to receive the vaccine, when it becomes available.</p>

<p>I think several members of our family have already had this bug, but we do plan to vaccinate.</p>

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<p>There is one poster, perhaps on the college discussion area, whose husband works for the CDC or is on call for a pandemic (can’t recall the details). She has posted some serious factual-sounding advice that led me to consult the CDC website. I’ve read quite a bit of helpful information on there, particularly when I was travelling recently to an area of the country where H1N1 is widespread. At least I felt informed, which gave me peace of mind—(my boatload of hand sanitizer was a big factor!).</p>

<p>I just want everyone to be healthy and safe! I, for one, will be getting the H1N1 vaccination as soon as it is available and so will my kids.</p>

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<p>That might have been me. My hb works for the CDC Foundation, a non-profit that supports the work of the CDC. He’s the Foundation’s point person for pandemic response and calls in to the briefings, etc. He’s no immunologist, but he does have access to CDC people. 'Glad to hear that the links were helpful.</p>

<p>Dealing with H1N1 is really common sense stuff now. Wash your hands, stay home if your sick, etc. It’s not as lethal as they originally thought it might be, but it is affecting some groups more severely. Basically individuals with other underlying medical problems seem to be at greater risk. Of course, as with any virus there is always the possibility that it could mutate into something more lethal. That hasn’t happened yet and may not this time around. </p>

<p>On a somewhat related note, experiencing the flooding down here in GA has given me an even greater appreciation for disaster preparedness. I think the Mormons may be on to something.</p>

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<p>[Swine</a> flu: After six months, swine flu looks no worse than seasonal flu – South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com](<a href=“http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/sfl-swine-flu-scare-092609,0,3497663.story]Swine”>http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/sfl-swine-flu-scare-092609,0,3497663.story)</p>

<p>Swine flu is not a danger for what it is, the experts say. It’s a danger for what it could be.</p>

<p>That’s why officials are pushing swine flu vaccine, which should start arriving as early as Oct. 6.</p>

<p>The new H1N1 virus arrived in the United States six months ago Monday, and still creates enough doubts that experts in South Florida and nationwide don’t know whether it will stay mild or become serious.</p>

<p>“So far the virus isn’t that dangerous. It’s more the potential than the reality that we’re worried about,” said Dr. Giorgio Tarchini, an infectious disease specialist at Cleveland Clinic in Weston.</p>

<p>As the new bug circulates, health officials fear it may mix with others to create a new version that spreads faster or causes more deaths. For instance, the bird flu that appeared in Asia in 2006 kills most who get it but does not spread easily in humans. A bad scenario would be if that bird flu combined with the new, easily spread H1N1, said Virginia flu expert Richard Wenzel, past president of the International Society for Infectious Diseases.</p>

<p>The mild nature of swine flu hasn’t stopped some people from reacting sharply. At least two high school football games in Palm Beach County were canceled. Some emergency room doctors report entire families of healthy people have demanded treatment when children get sick.</p>

<p>Such fears may get worse as the number of swine flu infections are expected to grow through fall. The virus is expected to be the prevalent strain this flu season. Only time will tell if such fears are justified.</p>

<p>Experts have seen key differences between swine flu and seasonal flu:</p>

<p>Number of cases: Health officials estimate more than a million Americans caught swine flu so far and millions more will likely get it this winter – more than come down with seasonal flu.</p>

<p>Deaths: From all those infected, about 600 <<(INCORRECT FIGURE, Latest reports iirc are over 1000+ easily in the US and picking up speed) have died. That’s a death rate half that of seasonal flu, which kills tens of thousands per year.</p>

<p>Hospitalizations: Rates in swine flu are 1 to 2 per 10,000 people, varying by age. That’s about half the rate of seasonal flu in infants and seniors, but about the same or slightly higher for others.</p>

<p>Timing: The new virus took off and spread in spring and summer, breaking the normal pattern of flu going dormant in warm weather. That worries experts who fear it may signal H1N1 is especially strong.</p>

<p>Who gets it: People ages 4 to 25 have the highest rates of infection from swine flu; those over 65 have the lowest. That’s opposite of seasonal flu, which mainly kills infants and seniors. Older folks may have partial immunity to the new flu from past exposures to a swine flu, but doctors worry there are other unknown reasons.</p>

<p>Who dies: The young get it, but the new virus mainly kills middle-aged sick people. Sixty-six of 87 deaths in Florida (26 of 36 in South Florida) were in ages 25 to 64. Almost 80 percent of the victims had an underlying illness like heart disease, lung disease and immune weakness, the state Department of Health said.</p>

<p>“They die from the complications that flu causes,” said Dr. Larry Bush, an infectious disease expert in Atlantis. “Maybe they get some other infection at the same time and they can’t fight it all off.”</p>

<p>Unexplained cases: Dr. John Livengood, director of disease prevention at the Broward County Health Department, said he has looked at the eight deaths in the county and can’t find much in common between them. Six were middle-aged men, one was a baby boy, one was 22. A couple had no explanation, he said, just healthy people who didn’t recover.</p>

<p>Erika Dopazo has seen both sides of the new flu. At 25, the marketing assistant in South Beach had never had the flu until late July, when she developed a fever of 101 degrees with bad chest congestion, cough, chills, aches and nausea. The swine flu made her as sick as she has ever been, but she got some medication and was back to normal within a week.</p>

<p>Weeks later, one of her friends died at age 27 after a monthlong illness complicated by swine flu.</p>

<p>“It wasn’t really that bad for me. But it can be,” Dopazo said.</p>

<p>Flu expert Wenzel agreed: “This [flu] looks particularly unkind in that sense. [Some] people fighting for their lives in intensive care units are young people who have no underlying medical problem.”</p>

<p>Some recent developments worry experts. A dozen cases of new flu were found to be resistant to Tamiflu, an antiviral drug that can lessen the severity.</p>

<p>Also, the World Health Organization this week said two dozen cases of swine flu were resistant to the vaccine. On the plus side, everyone who had the flu will be immune to getting it again.</p>

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<p>“On the plus side, everyone who had the flu will be immune to getting it again.”</p>

<p>Is this true across strains? If I’ve had it in one form, am I immune to others?</p>

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<p>I believe if it doesn’t change genetically you will be immune to the strain you have had.</p>

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<p>Right. But it seems as though what the experts are concerned about is that it will mutate. In that case, having immunity to this less virulent strain doesn’t really do one much good.</p>

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<p>There can be some cross-immunity to variant forms. Your body reacts to proteins in the flu, and mutations introduce changes into those proteins. But, some parts of the flu proteins will be the same, and the antibodies your body is making against those parts may help you fight the mutated strain.</p>

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<p>[CDC</a> 2009 H1N1 Flu | 2009 H1N1 U.S. Situation Update](<a href=“http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/updates/us/#totalcases]CDC”>http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/updates/us/#totalcases)</p>

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<p>Sarum: I have to say, the latest chart in the CDC link you posted (for week 37) looks a little scary because of the timing. While the fatality rate is not unusually high on an annualized basis for flu generally, normally the spike seems to be in the winter. This is early, and the chart looks like there are going to be 2-3 spikes this year. Pediatric deaths, while low as an absolute number, appear about 20-25% higher than in the prior years. Not a reason to panic, but certainly to stay informed. Thanks for the link.</p>

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<p>The overall death rate may be similar to past flu seasons, but deaths of children and young adults are very difficult for families and schools to accept.</p>

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<p>Just checking in to see how your schools are doing with regard to the H1N1 virus. My daughter’s school just sent out an update. They have had 105 cases of probable H1N1 since the beginning of the term. They have been averaging 2-4 students per day with a recent upsurge of 6-10 students per day presenting with symptoms. All of the cases have been relatively mild. They won’t likely have the H1N1 vaccine available at school until November. Around half of those students have been cared for at home. </p>

<p>Is this pretty much the same story at other schools?</p>

<p>My hb just told me that he was listening to flu expert Stephen Redd today. He relates that the younger you are, the more you likely you are to get the flu and the older you are, the more likely you are to have severe complications if you do get it.</p>

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<p>I have not received an update from my S school. My S states that 2 boy’s were sent home with the flu. Lot’s of kids were sick with coughs and cold symptoms but as far as I know not the actual flu. I know they had a “headmasters day” off recently. I believe it was to get the kids rested and feeling better. His dorm parent made them all chicken and dumpling soup that day!</p>

<p>Of course all of my info comes from a 15 year old that is less than observant at the best of times!</p>

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<p>Same from my son. Doesn’t really notice people missing from class, etc. No one gone from sports team, though. If kids are sick, might not report it unless extremely under the weather so as not to be quarantined. Have still witnessed handshakes and hugs at all athletic contests (between all schools so far; even some metioned as having barred the handshake). Fine by me.</p>

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<p>"I just want to endorse Linda Bergthold’s recent HuffPo column about Bill Maher. Maher is a funny guy who often displays a sharp intellect. On matters of public health, however, my view of him parallels President Obama’s opinion of Kanye West.</p>

<p>As Bergthold notes, there is a lot of good evidence out there indicating that seasonal flu and H1N1 immunization are safe and valuable to protect the public health. There is also a lot of misinformation out there from misguided celebrities among others. Dubious claims sometimes even find their way onto Huffington Post. You should enjoy these web pages and learn from many fine columnists, including a huge number of bona fide public health experts. You should always remember, however, that venues such as this one are not positioned to provide authoritative or scrutinized medical advice regarding vaccines and other matters. You should certainly remember that sincere and passionate celebrities such as Bill Maher and Jenny McCarthy don’t always get things right.</p>

<p>A far more credible source, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reports the obvious: By getting a flu shot, you are protecting your health. You are also protecting others, including elderly people and those with immune system challenges in your community. You are saving lives."</p>

<p>[Harold</a> Pollack: Get your flu shots – and ignore Bill Maher](<a href=“HuffPost - Breaking News, U.S. and World News | HuffPost”>Get your flu shots -- and ignore Bill Maher | HuffPost Life)</p>

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<p>Along the same lines I didn’t know that a booster was available for adults for pertussis until I got sick last year. Check with your health care professional.</p>

<p>Link: [Vaccines:</a> VPD-VAC/Pertussis/main page](<a href=“http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/pertussis/default.htm]Vaccines:”>http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/pertussis/default.htm)</p>