Flu hits some schools more than others
By John Jennings Daily News Staff
The flu virus making is making its rounds in Jasper County, but apparently it’s hitting some parts of the county harder than others.
Lynnville-Sully schools in Sully is reporting about 10 percent of the student population out of school on Monday.
“Monday was the first day with significant numbers of students out,” said L-S Superintendent Duane Willhite. “On Monday, we had about 10 percent of the students out, about 50 students. But we’ve had no impact to the staff, really no operational difficulties.”
Willhite said the school’s maintenance team has been sanitizing the entire school every night, with lots of hand sanitizers in the classroom. They are urging their students to stay home if they feel sick, as well. Willhite said he wasn’t sure if the school would be hit harder in the future.
“This is kind of unprecedented. We really don’t know what to expect,” Willhite said. “Our bigger concern is our kids with underlying health issues and keeping them safe.”
Over at PCM schools in Monroe, absences are a different story. Michele Lanpier, high school secretary at PCM said absences due to the flu have been really low so far.
“It’s not been an issue, really,” Lanpier said, with about three students out on Monday, and only five out on Friday. Lanpier said she didn’t know how to account for the low absence rate at PCM, but said the school was following the recommended guidelines like every other school, sanitizing the entire school every night, with plenty of hand sanitizers in the classrooms.
Meanwhile, shortages of the H1N1 vaccine continue in Jasper County. Skiff Medical Center Communications Director John Easley said 900 doses of the vaccine have been distributed to pharmacies and clinics throughout the county, but Skiff officials are unsure when the next shipment of H1N1 vaccine will arrive. Seasonal flu vaccines are also in short supply, with clinics scheduled for this week canceled due to the shortage.
The Iowa Department of Public Health issued a statement on the H1N1 virus on Oct. 23.
“While most Iowans will recover from the virus without needing to seek medical attention, some individuals, especially children, are at higher risk for H1N1-related complications.
“Children who should be considered for early antiviral treatment, and whose parents or caregiver should contact their health care provider as soon as influenza-like symptoms begin, include:
• Those younger than two years of age in particular, and some children up to four years of age;
• Children and adolescents with chronic medical conditions, such as asthma and diabetes;
• Adolescents who are pregnant (and up to two weeks after giving birth);
• Children and adolescents who are on long-term aspirin therapy.”
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