Children are heading back to school to trade summertime stories — and something far less pleasant: germs.
With swine flu circulating and a vaccine not available until October — and even then, only a reduced number of doses will be ready — it’s vitally important for kids, parents and schools to take precautions to keep this virus at bay.
While swine flu doesn’t, at this point, appear to be particularly dangerous to the overall population, certain people are more at risk. Those who have underlying conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions, appear to be more vulnerable.
Children also are among those most susceptible to swine flu, or H1N1. They need to wash their hands, often and properly, which means using soap and lathering for 20 seconds. It’s the most effective way to keep everyone well.
Parents must keep kids home from school and day care when they’re sick. It will be inconvenient, but it’s especially important this year.
The single biggest reason parents knowingly schlep their sick children off to school juiced up on Motrin is because they’re worried about missing work. We hope employers are particularly sensitive to the overall public health benefit of allowing parents time to be at home with their sick children. In addition, schools need to be aggressive about sending kids to the nurse, and calling parents when those students are ill. Schools also should have systems to track incidences of flu-like systems to try to stop the spread of flu.
Quick action could make the difference between a few cases and most of school coming down with it.
It’s particularly important because this flu, and yes, it’s just a flu, is dangerous for children. The Centers for Disease Control has recommended vaccinations for those between the ages of 6 months and 24 years.
However, only a third of the 120 million expected swine flu doses will be ready by mid-October. That means the groups that go to the head of the vaccination list are children younger than 4, public health workers and pregnant women.
The swine flu is particularly treacherous for pregnant women, who have an unusually high rate of complications from the illness.
If you or your child is ill, please think of others. Though no one in your family may be carrying a child, women with school-age children are the right demographic to be pregnant. If you keep your sick child home, you may prevent a pregnant woman from getting the illness.
About 55 million children will be hoisting on backpacks and heading off to school in the next few weeks. It’s an exciting time of the year.
We hope that people have the presence of mind to also keep it as healthy a time of year as possible.
