A South High School student has been hospitalized with a confirmed case of H1N1 flu and a second South student with a probable case is being treated at home.
In an email release today, D99 said school districts have been told by the DuPage County Health Department to expect more cases as the flu spreads throughout the county. Both local school districts are monitoring attendance and will consider closing schools if absenteeism spikes.
In the meantime, the schools are observing recommended measures for containing the spread of the virus, including emphasizing hand-washing, cleaning and sanitizing heavily used surfaces, installing hand sanitizers and asking students and staff to remain at home if they have a fever or other flu symptoms.
Now an editorial note: It’s possible to contain the spread of a virus only if everyone cooperates. Please keep your kids at home if they are sick. The school districts can make this task easier if they relax some of the more punitive results of missing school.
Given the potential for this virus to become more serious, it also may be prudent to develop ways for students to continue their studies at home in the event it’s necessary to close the schools for a period of time. Like a lot of parents, I won’t wait for the districts to make that call if I feel H1N1 is a serious threat to our kids’ health.
“It’s possible to contain the spread of a virus only if everyone cooperates. Please keep your kids at home if they are sick.”
People are contagious 24-48 hours before they show symptoms. The only way to keep children from dying is to close the schools.
Closing schools only keeps kids from dying if they stay at home….if schools are closed and kids congregate elsewhere they will continue to spread the virus.
Don’t. Panic.
Nobody is dying. As has been noted here on this blog, the vast majority of kids hospitalized had underlying medical conditions, the majority of cases have been, simply, the flu. It sucks. No one likes staying up all night with a sick child. Its terrifying, you curse the ceiling and ask why not you instead of them. But in the end its still just the flu.
The CDC website has some great common sense information for parents.
DuPage County Health Department has info here.
The Center for Disease Control has info here.
Meat…exactly. People need to use their brains and chill.
Just a few years ago were dire warnings about Avian flu. Early this year we were fed predictions of tens of thousands H1N1 new cases daily, and millions of deaths. All false.
More people in this country die in two weeks from influenza than have died all year globally from H1N1.
Is HIPAA being violated here? Or is the privacy of the students involved being met by not releasing their names (Maybe this is just another stupid question or thought of Earl’s).
Earl,
No names released = no HIPPA violation
HIPAA applies to insurance, whether it’s outsourced or a company is self-insured. It only applies to information held by an insurance provider. It does not apply to health information learned any other way.
It’s good to keep the names confidential but it has nothing to do with HIPAA.
Businessman, I believe that HIPAA also applies to other healthcare related areas besides insurance. I know we’ve been through some very detailed training on what can/cannot be talked about providing EMS care, and with (who?/whom?) [always mess that one up,] we can discuss the treatment.
And in some areas, Emergency rooms have done away with the large board with ER number, & last name of patient on it and what illness that person is in the ER for treatment
But I do believe that as long as there is no way to identify the ill person there is no violation. I would also imagine the fact that we are talking minors here, some of those rules would apply as well
Stay healthy
Greg
greg, you’re right – it applies to health care providers as well as health insurance providers -anyone receiving health info from someone seeking care. In my role I deal with the insurance piece. I don’t think it applies to schools unless they have a nurse or health center, but it just makes sense to keep names confidential, law or not. I think everyone agrees on that. Hope so.
Businessman, I am going to print out those first three words of your response and save it… I don’t see that very often…
Enjoy the weekend
Greg
A St. Mary’s of Gostyn school 7th grader was also recently diagnosed, I think in the last week.