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GoogleThe countywide absenteeism rate was 8.9 percent on Friday but East Side Elementary School had 23 percent of its 383 students absent that day.
School Superintendent Ed Gray said that Liberty School had spiked as high as 17 percent absenteeism, but was back down to 11.3 percent on Friday.
The report Gray receives each morning is officially a report of absenteeism, with no official system-wide indication of how many of those absentees are due to H1N1 or seasonal flu. But the assumption, verified through conversations with personnel at individual schools, is that any spike in absenteeism is flu-related.
State guidelines suggest a five-day school shutdown (to allow the disease to run its course) if absenteeism reaches the 15-20 percent range. Although individual schools have passed that mark, Gray said it's logistically difficult to dismiss only one school; the state would require that school to schedule makeup days to bring it in line with the rest of the county. So discussions of flu-related shutdown are primarily focused on whether or not to shut down the school system as a whole.
"Right now, what we're seeing is just school-to-school," said Gray.
The school system must also look at teacher absenteeism, said Gray. No teachers were absent from East Side on Friday.
The school system has a pandemic flu plan in place. Some actions have already been taken, such as teaching children proper hand-washing techniques and directing teachers not to plan any field trips that can't be rescheduled or have fees reimbursed in case of a closure.
Gray said school system officials met Thursday with Bedford County Health Department to discuss vaccinations. The school system will allow the health department to use school facilities for vaccinations beginning in mid-Ocotber, with school nurses assisting and School Resource Officers providing support as well.
"The school system is cooperating completely with them," said Gray.
The Google Flu web site, www.google.org/flutrends, shows Tennessee as having a high concentration of flu cases, and higher than any adjoining state.
The state health department has opened a toll-free flu information line to answer questions related to both H1N1 flu and seasonal flu. The number is (877) 252-3432. It will be staffed between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.
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State guidelines suggest a five-day school shutdown (to allow the disease to run its course) if absenteeism reaches the 15-20 percent range. Although individual schools have passed that mark, Gray said it's logistically difficult to dismiss only one school; the state would require that school to schedule makeup days to bring it in line with the rest of the county. So discussions of flu-related shutdown are primarily focused on whether or not to shut down the school system as a whole.
Logistics mean nothing when our childrens lives are at stake! My youngest child attends East Side and is out sick with the flu. I'm sure the older ones that attend Cascade will have it before the weekend!
I wonder what effect illegal kids are having on all this.
Their parents are all Federal criminals and as such most dont bother to read or practice even basic sanitation.
Just one more 'jobs Americans wont do' !
Easy BobM, that's a mighty abrasive statement.
Maybe everyone needs to call Mr. Gray and let him know how we feel..I rather make up days than have my child sick
What are the symptoms of the H1N1 flu? The same as the regular flu?
my daughter was just diagnosed yesterday with the seasonal flu. she attends cascade. when i walked in to get her work, the office (nurse's office) was full,kids sitting in the hallway sick and in her room where she sits at a table of six, there was only one present at her table which of course by the end of the week she will not be there either. i called the board of education yesterday to fill them and give them a piece of my mind but i only got to leave a message. this is stupid for our kids to go to school and get sick and get other kids sick who aren't. what about the children and their families who dont have health insurance? i do luckily have insurance and my whole family is being treated with TAMIFLU. this is ridiculous and they need to shut the schools down. all of them. its just going to keep spreading. lets make those school days up. i am more worried about the children than making up school days. we can get out of school for a flood, what about this? it has and will last much longer.
Dianatn
The symptoms are about the same from what I understand!
The 5 yr. old that died from the H1N1 in Nashville was sick on Saturday, better on Sunday, and died from it on Monday!
Maybe we should load up our sick kids and go visit the Board of Education in person and express our concerns!
From the way I understand this strain of flu that there is a type A and a type B with the type B being the more deadly.
What I don't know is does the type A go into the type B if not treated or do you get type B from the start? I just think there are too many unanswered questions about H1N1. And about the vaccine for it also. Even if I was in a high risk category I would not get the shot for it from everything I have read it is just as dangerous as the actual H1N1.
Maybe someone who has had some experience with this H1N1 could tell us the difference in the strains.I think it would be something we would all be interested in knowing.
N1H1 is the Type A form of the flu. The big difference you see is the nausea and diarrhea, otherwise the symptoms are the same as the seasonal flu. The test is a nasal swab, with fairly quick results. If you test positive for Type A at this time of year it is most likely the N1H1 variation. The CDC has a wealth of info., but this will give you a link to a brochure on their website about symptoms, treatment and prevention:
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/pdf/2009_h1n1.... The best way of prevention, besides avoiding folks that are symptomatic is to WASH YOUR HANDS.
I really think they need to close schools for a while. My son as already had the flu twice in 3 weeks. e got over it the first time, sent him back to school on a Monday and by Wednesday morning he was out with it again. Just went back to school toay. Im just waiting on him to get it again. Today alone at his school there were 44 out thats not counting the 6 teachers that was out, and also lets add the ones that they sent home today. Come on people if someone in the house is sick you know these kids are bringing the germs in to school. Whats it going to hurt for them to have make you day. Much rather have them home and away from the germ than himcoming down with it again, and get hospitalized or anything else. ets wake up and look at all the lives that are a stake. Come on someone had to stand up for the welfare of the kids.
My kid is home as well. She is sick, was better, now sick again.
No offense to anyone who has a sick child, but how are the children getting sick with the flu? I understand that it's being spread from person to person, but other than that??
No one in our house has had anything except for the occasional stuffy nose which is due to their allergies. I mean, I would just like to know what's going on so I can make sure mine don't get sick.
It is a airborne disease spread by coughing sneezing or basically just being around someone who is infected.
Some people get the flu and/or H1N1 more easily than others. Everyone's immune system is not the same.
Me for instance; I take everything that is going around, no matter what it is.. so if you sneeze around me and see me back away I am not being rude, I am being cautious. :>)
I had to take my 10 year old daughter to the Emergency room (2 WEEKS AGO) for severe Asthma, X-rayed showed bronchitis or emphazema in her left lung, They tested her for the flu it was negative. She had to see her doctor the next day, Her Meds alone was over $200.00
My 5 year old daughter, and my 10 year old daughter went to the laundry-mat with my mother this past Sunday to wash a King size comforter set on North Main street laundry-mat connected to the Gas station. That Sunday night and Monday morning my 5 year old kept saying she was hot, I felt her head and arms, then took her temperature it was 101.7. My 10 year old daughter was fine so I sent her on to school and I kept my 5 year old at home and gave her Childrens Tylenol Plus Cold & Cough every 4 hours, soup and plenty of liquids.
The next morning (Tues.) her temp. was 97.6, she stayed home that day too, I continued to give her the meds every 4 hours and lots of fluids. Her temp. the next day was (96.9) that was a total of 24 hours of low temp. so she returned to school that day (Wednesday).
Only thing is my other daughter the 10 year old had awaken that Tuesday mornig complaining of Chest pains, and that her head hurts when she walks. I noticed her eyes were red and irritated looking. Her head felt warm, so I took her temp. it was 102. So I kept her home from school and tried to do the same thing with her, but she has (severe asthma and allergies) and started having cold chills and body aches so I made her an Doctors appointment the next morning (Wednesday) her temp went down some to 99.7, They tested her for the Flu, it was positive, I wasn't told which one it was at the time, and other people kept asking which one it was, so I called them and asked them which one it was, and found out it is the H1N1 Flu.
She has to be Isolated and out of school for a week; eat and drink lots of fluids/soups, take two different kinds of meds, (Azithromycin) and (Tamiflu/Oseltamivir) plus her other medication from the first time she was sick 2 weeks ago. I know I have seen enough doctors, and medical bills for the next 3 years. I do not know how well I could do at Homeschooling her, but considering her "High Risk" health conditions I just may have to start looking into doing this. She likes going to school, and I know this will just really upset her if we had to do this. But with her, I am afraid for her health.
I feel like they should shut the school down on october 5th, 6th, and 7th. They are going to be out of shcool on october 8th and 9th already. Maybe that would give the kids a chance to get over the flu.
Mom of 3~
I 110% understand. My 8 yr old attends Eastside, he has severe asthma & allergies. As a mater of fact, as of tonight he was admitted into the hospital. I am having to be at the school atleast 3 times a week. It has goten to the point I am having to make certain his nebulizer goes to school with him. It is very scary, I am looking at my son hooked up to all of his oxygen machines, praying that he does not get the Flu, with his already weak immune system, it could really make him very sick.
AS far as the medical bills go and buying medications, I have no medical insurance, so all of this is coming out of pocket, so I, like you am most definately looking at the next several years of medical bills.
To all other parents reading this....
If your child displays ANY symptoms, fever, headache, nausea, vomiting,diarrea, any upset stomach, do not send your children to school!!! This is a serious mater, and this could mean life or death for other children.
My prayers to you and your little ones, MoMmYoF2bOyZ. I do have insurance, but it sure doesn't feel like it. Geeeezzz...