Response: 2009 H1N1 (referred to as "swine flu" early on) is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. This new virus was first detected in people in the United States in April 2009. This virus is spreading from person-to-person worldwide, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread.
Response: It is actually referred to now as a mild pandemic, meaning that most people have a very low immunity to the virus, it is highly contagious and it becomes very widespread and affects a whole region, a continent, or the world.
Response: Spread of 2009 H1N1 virus is thought to occur in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something - such as a surface or object - with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.
Response: The symptoms of 2009 H1N1 flu virus in people include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting.
Response: Illness with the new H1N1 virus has ranged from mild to severe. While most people who have been sick have recovered without needing medical treatment, hospitalizations and deaths from infection with this virus have occurred.
Response: People infected with seasonal and 2009 H1N1 flu shed virus and may be able to infect others from 1 day before getting sick to 5 to 7 days after. This can be longer in some people, especially children and people with weakened immune systems and in people infected with the new H1N1 virus.
Response: Yes, parents have received informational pieces, telephone calls through AlertNow and informational alerts on school webpages.
Response: Not necessarily. The Public Health Director in North Carolina and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are not requiring cultured tests to confirm positive H1N1, but if someone has flu-like systems or she is diagnosed with influenza A in a doctor's office, then the medical community is identifying that as H1N1 .
Response: We are trying to isolate sick students from other students as much as possible and school personnel contact parents immediately to pick up their sick child. It is extremely important that parents pick up their children as soon as possible.
Response: Yes. We are telling parents to keep sick children at home until they are well and until they are without a fever for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.
Response: We are also telling sick employees to stay at home until they have no fever without medication and to leave school if they become ill. Employees are also encouraged to get the seasonal influenza vaccination.
Response: Schools are instructed to keep their areas as clean as possible, have children and employees wash their hands often, remind children to sneeze into a tissue or their sleeve and keep their hands off their face.
Response: The directive from the Public Health Director in North Carolina encourages public schools to remain open and operational. A school closing will occur on a localized basis after consultation with the medical community and if there are increasing and high numbers of affected students and teachers that severely interfere with the operations of the normal school day.
Response: There is no vaccine available right now to protect against 2009 H1N1 virus. However, a 2009 H1N1 vaccine is currently in production and may be ready for the public in the fall. |
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