A Tahoma High student-athlete tested positive for the H1N1 virus, according to information provided by the athlete’s coach, and Tahoma School District officials are warning families to be careful to prevent further spread of the virus.
Kevin Patterson, spokesman for Tahoma, said by e-mail “the approach we are taking, which is on advice from health officials, is to continue emphasizing the need for hygiene to try to control the spread of flu.”
According to information provided to parents by the student’s coach, the teen had been feeling ill and was initially diagnosed with bronchitis, but a second opinion was sought out and after more testing the student tested positive for H1N1.
The coach emphasized in an e-mail to parents how important it is for students to stay home when they are sick.
Patterson said the district sent out a fact sheet regarding the flu last week.
“We are also telling students and staff that they need to stay home if they are sick and to not return to school until at least 24 hours after their fever goes away,” he said. “That’s about all we can do until flu vaccine becomes available. We are not being asked by public health to identify H1N1 through testing.”
In the spring, Patterson said, when not much was known about the virus which is also known as the swine flu, the approach was different.
“Now we know that it is a lot like seasonal flu, except that it spreads more quickly. That’s why there is a change in tactics,” he said. “We are monitoring absence rates and it appears that our high school is feeling the effects of flu. We have had more than 200 absences on three days over the past week.”
James Apa, spokesman for King County Public Health, said that only people who are hospitalized or quite ill are generally recommended for testing and that unlike the spring, each individual case is no longer being reported.
“The swine flu has been with us not only through the spring, but it has stuck with us on a low level,” Apa said. “Through our monitoring we know that there has been a pick up in the community. People should act and do what they need to protect themselves. The things that we recommend are the same things that we were talking about in the spring. If you’re ill, if you have flu like symptoms, stay at home until you get better. Cover your cough and wash your hands frequently. Those three things are what we can do to slow the spread.”
In the coming weeks, Apa added, there will be a vaccine available for the swine flu.
“We will receive initial doses in October and we will receive more continually,” he said. “With the first supplies that we have the focus will be on people who are more vulnerable to more serious consequences of the flu, so that would include pregnant women, children and young adults from six months to 24 years of age. It will include people of any age that have underlying health conditions like asthma or heart disease. It will be available for health care workers and anyone who is a care taker of anyone under six months of age.”
As more supplies become available and those who are at high risk for complications from the virus are vaccinated, Apa said, the vaccine will be available to everyone who wants it. Getting vaccinated, he explained, will be the best way to slow the spread of the virus.
“People shouldn’t wait for reports of cases with confirmed H1N1 to take the steps they can to protect themselves because we know it’s already in the community,” Apa said. “If they have influenza like symptoms, they should treat it like the swine flu.”
In the meantime, Patterson said, the school district is preparing for the effects the virus may have on its students and staff.
“We are working on how to deal with high rates of absenteeism among staff by expanding our list of substitute teachers,” he said. “We are also working on contingency plans for non-teaching positions, particularly bus drivers. We want to continue operating school on a regular schedule unless absenteeism among students and staff is so high that it is impractical to do so.”
For more information about the H1N1 virus, log on to the King County site.
