Published Friday, March 19, 2010
Four flu deaths in region this year
The Newnan Times-Herald
West Georgia regional health officials are urging spring break travelers to continue to practice measures that prevent the spread of both seasonal flu and H1N1.
According to Hayla Hall, risk communicator for District 4 Health Services, influenza-like illness appears to be low around the state, but there has been an increase in hospitalizations and influenza-associated deaths.
In District 4, which includes Coweta, there have been four deaths associated with the 2009 H1N1 since late January. The most recent death occurred March 9 and was a Coweta County resident.
"Most of the deaths we have seen in our district have been people with a known health condition that put them at a higher risk for complications," said Hall. "I can't stress enough the importance of vaccination for anyone with a chronic health condition. If they aren't going to get vaccinated they need to talk with their physician and discuss a plan of action to take if they develop flu-like symptoms.
Sally Millians, head nurse of the Coweta County School System, monitors absenteeism due to influenza-like illnesess daily.
"It sort of waxes and wanes," said Millians. She has seen pockets of influenza, which migrate from school to school, but no real spikes since last fall.
Millians receives reports from each school's nurse on flu-like illnesses among students and staff. The symptoms would include fever, general malaise and other signs. She describes the cases as a "low constant."
A representative of the Georgia Association of Student Nurses will make a presentation to Coweta's school nurses in late April regarding H1N1. Millians expects to get some good flu prevention information and details on strains at the upcoming program.
Millians says "hats off" to the classroom teachers who are doing a great job cleaning and disinfecting surfaces. "They have been very diligent," she said.
The H1N1 vaccine is still available, free of charge, at the Coweta County Health Department, located on Jackson Street in Newnan.
People who are not planning to be vaccinated should practice healthy habits to avoid contracting seasonal influenza or H1N1, particularly those planning on spring travel, officials urge. Prevention measures include washing hands, covering your coughs and sneezes, and avoiding close contact with people who are obviously sick.
"They are just good practices all the time," said Millians.
The normal flu season typically peaks in February and March.
Though flu activity has declined since late October, there are still uncertainties surrounding the rest of this flu season, including the possibility of the circulation of seasonal influenza viruses and ongoing circulation of 2009 H1N1 viruses. Flu activity, caused by either 2009 H1N1 or seasonal flu viruses, may rise and fall, but it is expected to continue for several more weeks.
Hall offers one more important advisory for college students. "Additionally, with spring break coming up and large number of students expected to travel both domestically and internationally, vaccination of college age students who have been hard-hit by illness during this pandemic continues to be recommended," said Hall.
Coweta County School System will be out for spring break the week of April 5-9.
For information on receiving an H1N1 vaccine at the Coweta County Health Department, call 770-254-7400.
