Swine flu likely present in all Brevard schools
Swine flu is likely in most Brevard County schools, officials said Friday, even though the district still has no “confirmed” cases.
“It’s a pandemic now,” said Betty Dunn, assistant superintendent of student services. “It’s all around the world. It’s in our community, so you know it’s in our schools.”
Brevard was one of four counties in Florida with “widespread” cases of the swine flu, according to an Aug. 9-15 report issued by the Florida Department of Health. School started Aug. 10.
The health department is the only authority that can “confirm” a case, but health officials are no longer testing most cases for swine flu. Only cases that lead to hospitalizations or death are investigated.
Nearly all district schools have had children and staff members out sick with flu-symptoms, officials said. Some conditions have been privately diagnosed by doctors as swine flu.
Symptoms include fever, coughing, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.
The flu is spread primarily through coughing and sneezing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Doctors have said swine-flu symptoms and complications are less severe than the regular seasonal flu. They aren’t required to report cases to the health department.
Brevard officials are asking parents to call their school if a doctor diagnoses swine flu. At that point, they will advise students of preventive measures and to stay home until symptoms subside.
School health coordinator Pam Hamilton said students should stay home for 24 hours after they feel well without taking fever reducers.
Some principals, such as Merritt Island High’s Gary Shiffrin, sent out phone messages or notes to parents, warning of likely cases of swine flu at their schools.
A handful of students and two teachers had swine-flu symptoms at Merritt Island, Shiffrin said.
“We wanted to be up front about the potential cases we’ve had,” he said. “When you have an enclosed area and 1,500 students, the chances of being exposed might be pretty good .¤.¤. We are doing everything we can to make sure we have a healthy and safe campus.”
Majorie Mulla, a mother of three Brevard County students, volunteers often at Lockmar Elementary in Palm Bay.
The school is teaching students to properly wash their hands and has been proactive in keeping parents updated, Mulla said. But many students are absent in the classes she’s observed, she added.
“Parents here are pretty calm because we’ve been kept in the loop,” she said. “But I’m concerned and waiting for the other shoe to drop. I know it’s only a matter of time before my kids get sick.”
(By MEGAN DOWNS | floridatoday)
There is a commercially available antimicrobial called Microcyn Technology, which I believe can help prevent the spread of H1N1. Sprayed on hands and face (totally non-toxic) as well as applied into the nostrils, it will kill H1N1 rapidly and help prevent incubation. Independent lab testing has shown it highly effective in eradicating the swine flu virus: http://ir.oculusis.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=391670
Dr M Sullivan
1 Sep 09 at 10:06 pm