H1N1 Flu

[pegkerr]

It has arrived at Fiona's high school. Two cases have been confirmed, but following the new protocol, the school will not close.

All right, I'm nervous, but not panicked. I knew this would have to happen eventually.

What I did today to make the world a better place: Took about ten pairs of the girls' outgrown shoes to church for recycling. (The materials will be ground up and used as the base material in sidewalks.)

Comments

[dd-b.livejournal.com]

Having already dodged the bullet in Mexico, yes.

Well, the cases we're getting don't seem to be more serious than normal flu, yet (which is serious enough, but almost always for people already in trouble).

I'm still wondering if it somehow magically moderated when it left Mexico (which seems really weird), or what's going on. Maybe there's a second round that's going to happen and be like Mexico (and the first round in Mexico was missed). More likely some more prosaic error has made things look worse there than they are.

[thenines.livejournal.com]

Working with seriously immuno-supressed patients in NYC, we've been receiving daily CDC updates; the news regarding why H1N1 hit Mexico so hard and the rest of the world less violently is mainly due to cultural behavior around illness. In general, the people of Mexico only seek a doctor's care when they are very seriously ill -- "routine care" is still very rare, and homeopathic remedies are still used in 9 of 10 cases of routine illness. When flu-like symptoms appeared for H1N1, those affected treated it like a normal flu -- and only sought physician assistance when they were so ill that their chances of surviving any normal influenza were spotty. Mexican clinics and hospital services being what they are in the affected geographic regions (open waiting areas, non-private treatment rooms, etc), those carrying the illness in advanced stages exposed others who were also seriously immuno-compromised (because of the tendency to only seek care when seriously ill). That started a cycle where the weakest people were exposed to a new illness -- never a good situation.

The illness was passed to countries where healthcare is sought more routinely, for less serious issues (those Americans with health insurance and easy access to facilities are quick to avail themselves, and there's no stigma of weakness attached to seeking medical attention). Those who are contracting the flu are those who are in "germ factory" situations -- closely quartered buildings like schools, cramped offices, etc -- in other words, the same population that contracts any other influenza.

Peg, as far as easing your nervousness, it makes sense for you to call your family physician and explain about the trip to Mexico and the bacterial illness that affected your family, and see if s/he recommends any additional precautions for you or the girls. And make sure they know the proper way to wash their hands in public restrooms (turn on the faucet, let the water run warm, wet hands, add soap, scrub (not under water) for 15 seconds (sing through "Happy Birthday" twice), rinse well, dry hands with a paper towel, then use the towel to turn off the faucet and open/close the door).

The thing to remember is that this flu is not behaving as a pandemic -- a strain of illness which strikes the young and healthy (teenagers and young adults) rather than the physically weak (infants and seniors) -- and isn't an unchecked epidemic, either. It's a new version of the flu that we need to be cautious of, but needn't go zipping ourselves into biohazard suits.

[naomikritzer]

dry hands with a paper towel, then use the towel to turn off the faucet and open/close the door

I am not sure whether the Minneapolis public schools make paper towels available to students washing their hands. It may be just air dryers.

[thenines.livejournal.com]

With air dryers, faucets should be automatic off, so there's no need to twist knobs. If no disposable towels are available, a call to the school nurse to urge that appropriate handwashing procedures for the equipment available are posted in all public restrooms isn't unwarranted.

[dd-b.livejournal.com]

The patient behavior explanation of the difference, and the fact that the experts think the difference has been accounted for, haven't made the news that I've heard. Which goes to support the argument that they ARE over-hyping it NOW and the last few days.

Thanks for explaining!

[thenines.livejournal.com]

The media hype may well be credited with limiting the spread of the illness; CDC and every other public health agency would give eyeteeth for this kind of steady coverage that leads to positive behavior change with regard to easily communicable disease. I'm not seeing anything intentionally alarmist on our news in the city, but am very glad that the coverage is unceasing.

Glad to assist.