The Paw Print

H1N1 arrives with fall
by Heeyoung


In late April of 2009, the first cases of the H1N1 virus infection appeared in the United States. The virus is a contagious airborne disease similar to the seasonal flu. The virus has thousands of different kinds of strains, and H1N1 is just a new, different strain. That’s exactly why it’s feared so much—because it’s new and unknown and people don’t know what to expect from it. When you feel sick and are scared because you think you might have H1N1, just remember that it’s only another type of the seasonal flu people get every year. You’re most likely not going to be pushing up daisies any time soon.

It is true that the H1N1 virus seems to be widespread, though. On Monday, September 21, it was recorded that in our school district, 2,889 students out of 42,737 were absent from school, not just from the flu, but also general illnesses or otherwise. That’s about 6.76% of our school district.

Keep in mind, however, that students are returning to school relatively quickly, and the cases of H1N1 reported have only been mild to moderate. Neither the H1N1 influenza nor the seasonal flu has been called an epidemic in Round Rock by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) or the government. Therefore, nobody can claim it’s an epidemic.

There isn’t a vaccine out for the H1N1 virus specifically yet, but it’s expected to be available to the public by early October. That’s no reason not to protect yourself from seasonal flu. If you can’t afford the $20-$30 vaccine, the district is offering plenty of programs where students can get their shot for free. Still, keep in mind that no vaccine can offer 100% protection.

Some symptoms parents should look for in their children that complain of flu like symptoms include fever, coughing, sore throat, headaches and/or body aches and fatigue, to name a few. Sounds sort of familiar, doesn’t it? Yes, H1N1 symptoms are very similar to symptoms for the seasonal flu. The only difference is some vomiting and diarrhea. If you have any of the symptoms listed, you should pay your doctor a visit, just in case. Parents should not send their children to school if they are not feeling well and have a fever. Keep students home until they’ve been fever-free for 24 hours without the help of fever-reducing medicine.

While parents are worrying about their children’s health, kids who get sick are worrying about making up all the schoolwork they missed. Students who are ill can now rest without anxiety because there will be plenty of opportunities to make up that school work; the school board is doing everything they can to make sure everyone can catch up and no child is left behind.

If you haven’t contracted the flu, you can stay healthy and control the spread of germs with some common sense! Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough, avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth, and most importantly, wash your hands as often as you can with soap and water.

The bottom line is nobody likes to feel sick, just like nobody likes bad breath or being stuck at work when the air conditioning’s down. Do your part and make sure you’re not the reason students are home sick.

“Everyone can do their part in trying to limit the amount of germs we come in contact with,” Round Rock ISD's Director of Community Relations JoyLynn Occhiuzzi said. “If you have a fever, you really need to stay at home. We are asking parents, students and staff to honor that request.”

Now that's something we can all agree is a necessity.