Throughout The Valley people were discussing incidences of H1N1 almost
as if it were a point of pride -- and talking about where they got it
or where their children or friend or cousin was exposed.
The calmest people dealing with the flu seemed to be the local
elementary principals, the school nurses and the staff of the local
medical center. They are the ones who repeatedly advised parents to
keep their kids home if they showed signs of flu -- and it worked,
apparently. The medical center wisely kept the flu-infected out of the
medical offices and sent kids home to bed where they belonged.
For kids who slipped past their parents' ailment radar and fell ill at
school, the nurses did their jobs and sent kids home. Parents were
advised to treat the ailment as they would any flu and, generally,
children recovered in three to four days.
And now there are vaccination clinics scheduled for all Valley schools,
albeit some later than others due to the vacillation of the Vermont
Department of Health on how and when clinics could/would take place and
when the vaccine will be available.
Certainly H1N1, or any flu epidemic, should be taken seriously and
regular precautions should be taken to prevent its spread. But no one
needs to add mass hysteria to the mix.
According to the Center for Disease Control, from August 30, 2009,
through October 17, 2009, there have been 2,416 deaths and 21,823
hospitalizations from illnesses that could be H1N1 based on symptoms
(with some lab confirmations of H1N1) and there have been 411 deaths
and 8,204 hospitalizations where lab confirmation showed H1N1. The
death toll for other types of influenzas each year is much higher, with
CDC numbers ranging from 20,000 to 36,000 per year.
Influenza needs to be taken seriously. Hands must be washed, coughs
covered, fluids consumed and people need to stay home when symptoms are
present.
But let's not panic.
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