City schools prepare for possible H1N1 outbreak

By Cassandra Morrissey
Over 43 thousand people have been infected with the novel H1N1 flu virus throughout the United States. Clinton County has already seen at least five confirmed cases. As a result, local officials are preparing for a possible outbreak, causing many residents to start worrying. Anthony Ching, a physician at Plattsburgh Primary Care, notices the uneasy emotions the virus is causing.
“The H1N1 is a different strain of the flu. It’s a completely different strand, and the fact that it can affect everyone and not just the extremes is scaring people,” Ching said.
Schools Preparing
James Short, superintendent of Plattsburgh City Schools, has taken a proactive step in getting the school and faculty ready for the virus.
“The most important part of preparation is through explaining what H1N1 is, and educating as many people as possible,” Short said.
Previous to school starting, Plattsburgh city school officials conducted a health risk management seminar on H1N1 for all district employees, sent out news letters to parents, and issued a public service announcement on News Channel 5 and Fox 44.
Short said, “All the advice we get and give is from the county health department and New York State, we aren’t making up our procedures.”
SUNY Plattsburgh and Clinton Community College are also taking steps to prevent a possible eruption of the H1N1 virus. One main factor aiding in the spread of the virus is through close proximity, such as living in dorm rooms and apartments.
Jerimy Blowers, director of Health Education services at Plattsburgh State, realizes this aspect could manipulate the number of students getting sick.
“It only takes one person to get everyone sick. Someone might sneeze on their hand and touch the faucet. If students aren’t careful, they can affect everyone very quickly,” said Blowers.
Although, Blowers recognizes it’s sometimes difficult to monitor every move, and the school continues to formulate an extensive response in case of an outbreak.
“We have a comprehensive plan set, and are monitoring the situation daily. We keep a list of how many people have flu like symptoms, and we are benefiting from looking at what other schools are doing in response to H1N1, and base some of our actions from their results,” said Blowers.
Nicole Powers-Allen, Student Support Services nurse at Clinton Community College is hoping the large number of students comminuting to class will protect the college from an outbreak.
“I think the number of students commuting will play a big part in the spread of H1N1. It will depend on where the virus pops up, but I do think the fact that most students don’t live on campus will play a role. But I don’t know if it will be towards our benefit or determent,” said Powers-Allen.
The majority of information schools are using to plan for the flu season comes from the Clinton County Public Health Department. Laurie Williams, coordinator of the Health Education Unit, observes the situation by staying in close contact with physicians, college campuses, the Center for Disease Control and CVPH.
Vaccines
Along with analyzing the movement and progression of the flu virus, Plattsburgh State and the health department also will have vaccines for the flu virus.
“We will have both the H1N1 and regular flu shot. Our no. 1 priority is students, and they will be treated first”, said Blowers.
Vaccines will not be available for the entire community. According to the Center for Disease Control, the prominent groups that will receive the vaccine are pregnant women, people caring for young children, health care personal, individuals between the age of 6 and 24, and people with compromised immune systems. While the CDC does not expect a shortage for the vaccine, the demand and availably is irregular, resulting in firm monitoring of doses.
Williams said, “We will be given a limited supply of vaccines, which we are monitoring very closely. The CDC and state informs us of when we can disperse the vaccines and how many we can give to physicians. ”
Although many H1N1 flu clinics will be set up in the region, the specific date, number of vaccines available and cost is still uncertain.
Safety Measures
Even though several safety measures are being taken around the community to prevent the spread of H1N1, doctors and health officials continue to stress the importance of cleanliness. Hand washing and good hygiene are key aspects to keeping yourself and the community healthy.
“We have done everything we can to prepare for this. We increased nursing staff, double checked all the cleaning supplies, put sanitizer in every room. But it just comes down to being more aware of respiratory etiquette,” said Short.
Short and Blowers also state that postponing classes or closing school might be an option if there is an outbreak.
Still Worried
Although, some parents are still worried about H1N1 in schools. Beverly Jackson, a secretary at CVPH, is concerned primarily about other student’s reactions than the schools precautions.
“My son comes home every day and tells me different things classmates are saying about H1N1. Sometimes it’s hard to keep track of. And how do you know if other people are coughing on your children, or spreading their germs. I’m worried,” said Jackson.
Although the Clinton County region has only experienced a small number of confirmed H1N1 cases, health officials continue to urge residents to pay close attention to healthy habits, and focus on preventative actions rather than panicking.