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Getting grip on upcoming flu season
Thelma Grimes/San Pedro Valley News-Sun
To get ahead as the flu and cold season approaches, Cochise County health officials met with school district superintendents to discuss steps that should be taken to prevent outbreaks.
Last year, the public and health officials were concerned with a new strain of the flu, known as H1N1.
In a Sept. 16 letter to parents, Cochise County Health Director Vaira Harik said this year's flu season is more complicated because there are two types of the influenza virus.
Harik explained that the first thing parents must remember is that if their child is running a fever, coughing and sneezing, they should be kept home until the fever has been gone for up to 24 hours.
"If you send your child to school sick, the school will send them home," Harik said. "So, please plan now how to deal with this."
David Woodall, superintendent of the Benson School District, said last year they only had a few flu cases. The superintendent of the San Pedro Valley's biggest school district, said it's good that the health department and school officials are getting an early start on planning what to do this year.
Last year, as the H1N1 gained more media attention and the number of cases nationwide in-creased, some school districts considered shutting down once cases were confirmed.
This year, Woodall said with the help of the health department, school officials know what steps to take.
"It's good for us to be a little more prepared than we were last year," Woodall said. "We know to watch for students with symptoms. We know that they should be isolated and given masks and then sent home until the fever subsides."
Woodall said unless the district has an unusually high percentage of students with the flu, this winter should be "business as usual."
Harik said parents should also educate their children on how to avoid spreading germs. They should learn to cover their mouth when coughing, and sneezing. Remember to use a tissue or even a shirtsleeve and not bare hands, she added.
Another way to avoid catching the flu altogether is to get vaccinated.
Harik said parents should contact their local physicians to get the flu shot, and remember that there is a separate vaccination for the H1N1 virus.
The local health department will also be holding children's flu shot clinics in October as soon as the vaccination is available.
Harik said children should be vaccinated as soon as possible, noting that while the flu shot is available, the H1N1 strain may not become available to the public until some time in November.
FLU SHOT CLINIC
Adult flu shots $25
Saturday, Sept. 26, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
At Benson Health Dept.
126 W. 5th St. 586-8200
Medicare Part B, TRICARE members must bring ID and membership cards. No one turned away if unable to pay.
Children's flu shots free through Vaccines For Children (VFC) Program available by appointment during scheduled weekly childhood shot clinics at all Health Dept. locations.
Visit www.cochise.az.gov/Nursing
Health Department's automated seasonal flu shot hotline number 520-432-9409. Further information can also be found at www.cochise.az.gov/Flu.
Information pertains to seasonal flu shots, not to H1N1 flu shots. H1N1 flu shot information will be available from the Health Department later this fall and separate vaccination efforts for H1N1are being planned.
To get ahead as the flu and cold season approaches, Cochise County health officials met with school district superintendents to discuss steps that should be taken to prevent outbreaks.
Last year, the public and health officials were concerned with a new strain of the flu, known as H1N1.
In a Sept. 16 letter to parents, Cochise County Health Director Vaira Harik said this year's flu season is more complicated because there are two types of the influenza virus.
Harik explained that the first thing parents must remember is that if their child is running a fever, coughing and sneezing, they should be kept home until the fever has been gone for up to 24 hours.
"If you send your child to school sick, the school will send them home," Harik said. "So, please plan now how to deal with this."
David Woodall, superintendent of the Benson School District, said last year they only had a few flu cases. The superintendent of the San Pedro Valley's biggest school district, said it's good that the health department and school officials are getting an early start on planning what to do this year.
Last year, as the H1N1 gained more media attention and the number of cases nationwide in-creased, some school districts considered shutting down once cases were confirmed.
This year, Woodall said with the help of the health department, school officials know what steps to take.
"It's good for us to be a little more prepared than we were last year," Woodall said. "We know to watch for students with symptoms. We know that they should be isolated and given masks and then sent home until the fever subsides."
Woodall said unless the district has an unusually high percentage of students with the flu, this winter should be "business as usual."
Harik said parents should also educate their children on how to avoid spreading germs. They should learn to cover their mouth when coughing, and sneezing. Remember to use a tissue or even a shirtsleeve and not bare hands, she added.
Another way to avoid catching the flu altogether is to get vaccinated.
Harik said parents should contact their local physicians to get the flu shot, and remember that there is a separate vaccination for the H1N1 virus.
The local health department will also be holding children's flu shot clinics in October as soon as the vaccination is available.
Harik said children should be vaccinated as soon as possible, noting that while the flu shot is available, the H1N1 strain may not become available to the public until some time in November.
FLU SHOT CLINIC
Adult flu shots $25
Saturday, Sept. 26, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
At Benson Health Dept.
126 W. 5th St. 586-8200
Medicare Part B, TRICARE members must bring ID and membership cards. No one turned away if unable to pay.
Children's flu shots free through Vaccines For Children (VFC) Program available by appointment during scheduled weekly childhood shot clinics at all Health Dept. locations.
Visit www.cochise.az.gov/Nursing
Health Department's automated seasonal flu shot hotline number 520-432-9409. Further information can also be found at www.cochise.az.gov/Flu.
Information pertains to seasonal flu shots, not to H1N1 flu shots. H1N1 flu shot information will be available from the Health Department later this fall and separate vaccination efforts for H1N1are being planned.
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