Schools see flu decline

By Katie Cole (Contact) | Alex City Outlook

Published Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Local schools have seen a decline in the number of students with flu-like symptoms, but the Alabama Department of Public Health is still encouraging people to take advantage of the H1N1 vaccine.

“We’re still seeing some (flu) and we know the doctors’ offices are still diagnosing influenza, but we’re not seeing the same impact of absenteeism,” said Alexander City lead school nurse Melanie Sharpton, who said the drop coincided with the schools’ fall break in mid-October.

Although the number of new cases has declined, parents should still consider vaccinating their children against H1N1 influenza, according to Dr. Jim McVay, director of the bureau of health promotion of the ADPH. McVay said the majority of students in the state have not had H1N1 influenza, which infects children more often than adults.

“About 60 percent of the schools in the state were having absentee rates between 5 to 10 percent,” McVay said. “That leaves 90 percent of students that didn’t (get the flu).”

The ADPH announced Monday it would begin vaccinating students in school clinics beginning Nov. 30. Sharpton said the schools are waiting for more information from the state before they begin making definite plans for the clinics and the permission forms, which must be signed by a parent or guardian for the student to receive the vaccine.

McVay urged people interested in the vaccine to consult with their healthcare provider, but he said that concerns about the vaccine’s safety are unfounded.

“People die from the flu,” McVay said. “They don’t die from this immunization.”

Serious adverse reactions should occur soon after the vaccination, according to McVay, and would have been reported by now. The immunization does cause mild side effects, such as soreness at the injection site. People with weak immune systems who receive the nasal spray, which contains a live virus, have an increased risk of contracting H1N1 from the vaccine, McVay said.

Receiving the vaccine doesn’t guarantee a person won’t contract the virus.

“You can come down with the flu after having the shot,” McVay said. “You don’t start building immunity until 8 to 10 days after the vaccination.”

H1N1 influenza vaccines were first made available to high-risk groups in October, which now include pregnant women, household members who have contact with children younger than 6 months of age, health care and emergency services personnel, people from 6 months to 24 years of age and people from 25 to 64 years of age with certain medical conditions.

The Tallapoosa County Health Department is scheduled to hold another clinic on Friday, Nov. 13, and Monday, Nov. 16, according to a statement released by the ADPH.

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