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BACK TO SCHOOL- HOPEFULLY, WITHOUT THE H1N1 BUG!

The federal government is advising school leaders they shouldn’t have to close their doors this fall because a few students contract this new virus, which continues to spread throughout the world.  Only those schools with high numbers of students coming down with the virus should consider closing, according to a statement Janet Napolitano, Homeland Security Secretary made today (August 7th).

There are more than 55 million American children attending 130,000 public and private schools.  According to the Department of Education, 7 million persons staff those schools.

It is predicted that the new “bug” will hit schools in the fall; however, Education Secretary Arne Duncan stated the importance of continuing to educate the children, and urges parents to use common sense and tell their kids to wash their hands vigorously several times a day, and take other precautions.  He also said that the new vaccine should be ready by mid-October and schools will probably be the principal sites for the shots to be given to students.  Everyone should get the regular flu shot prior to this time.

The Centers for Disease Control last spring advised schools to close for two weeks when there were confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus.  However, the milder cases experienced by students caused them to re-think their strategy.  They do recommend that parents keep their sick students home for at least one week, if they become ill.  As the result of the spring school closings, many parents were forced to leave their kids at home alone, take off work to stay with their children, or make child care arrangements.

Schools should be planning other ways to prevent the spread of illness by placing students’ desks further apart, emphasizing hand hygiene, and any method they can come up with to encourage their students to avoid contact with someone who is ill.  Mr. Duncan is asking schools to have a plan to keep their kids learning during the period their school is closed.

Sources:
AP
Reuters

First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues, Respiratory Safety

TEXAS RANGERS ARE FIGHTING THE “BUG”

Not in law enforcement, but in Major League Baseball, an article in the Fort Worth Star Telegram Saturday, July 25, stated that Vicente Padilla, pitcher for the Rangers has been confirmed as having the H1N1 virus. (According to television news, he is the first professional player in any sport that has contacted the virus.) For the past several days, announcers for the Rangers have been mentioning during broadcasts of Rangers games that various players have been ill with flu-like symptoms.

Thad Levine, Assistant General Manager of the Rangers, reported that cultures have been submitted to the health department, but at the present time Padilla is the only team member with the virus, and that he is feeling better and expected to possibly play next Tuesday in Arlington.  Other players have been experiencing flu-like symptoms.  The team is taking all the standard precautions, and after receiving advice from team doctors and MLB officials, will not treat this any differently than common flu.  Tamiflu, a widely-used medicine to fight influenza, has been prescribed to all team members who have had signs of the illness.

Many more of these stories affecting sports teams will probably surface, as it is predicted by health officials that we will be facing the H1N1 virus head-on until a new vaccine can be developed.  Five different U S vaccine makers are working vigorously to produce a vaccine that will help prevent this virus that is spreading throughout the world.

Until then, the best ways to prevent contacting H1N1 are to keep yourself in good condition, wash your hands with warm soap and water, or use hand sanitizer.  Many times germs from viruses remain on doorknobs, cell phones, countertops, stair rails, and other things that are used by more than one person, so pay attention to things you must touch, and again, wash your hands often.

Source: Ft. Worth Star Telegram

First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues, Respiratory Safety

ARE WE REALLY PREPARED?

We know that people are tired about reading about the H1N1 influenza virus, and hopefully, it is losing ground and will not be a worldwide pandemic.  In our articles “Pandemic Influenza”, and “Pandemic Influenza Part II”, we described what a pandemic is and how employers can best be prepared for one.  What about the country as a whole?

As was evidenced by the past threat, there was a negative effect on the stock market, travel industry, and entertainment industry, just to name a few.  In reviewing a message that was written November 10, 2005, by the Working Group on Pandemic Influenza Preparedness, and sent to Senate and House Conferees on H.R. 3010 FY 2006, Labor, Health, and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, one would think they were reading something that was written only yesterday.  It closed by stating that the “clock is ticking as the threat is growing”.

In 2005, funding was needed for the Avian Flu (H5N1) or Bird Flu.  Attempts for funding for pandemic outbreaks have been made ever since that year; requests for $870 million in extra funding was cut from a stimulus bill that passed earlier this year.  These funds would have gone a long way toward supporting state and local health departments’ preparedness, the Strategic National Stockpiles, vaccine research and production, gloves, and other required equipment.  Stockpiled vaccines should be equally proportioned to guarantee all states have the needed medicine.  Annual resources should be available to support ongoing state and local preparedness, not just at times of emergencies.

So far, we have not been put to the full test, but sooner or later, it is feared that there will be a strain that will be a full-blown pandemic and really get our attention.  As our workforces are being depleted by layoffs and cutbacks, will there be enough public health officials and healthcare workers to take care of the demands of a true pandemic?  It’s food for thought.