Schools hit early, often by flu

More than 80 PSD students sent home with fever last week

Nate Hulings

of the Gateway

Recent unseasonably high absenteeism rates at schools across Pierce Count have local health officials taking notice.

The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department has been receiving a spike in reports from schools reaching absenteeism levels of more than 10 percent on a given day — a report that is required by law.

During the week of Oct. 5, the department received calls from six schools from across the county. For the week of Oct. 19, that number spiked to 56.

Denise Stinson, the public health nurse at the TPCHD, says most schools are reporting fever, cough and sore throats — symptoms of the flu.

And though it is impossible to determine the exact amount of students staying home because of the flu, the timing of the drastic increase is a major concern, Stinson said.

“Whenever you see this level of absenteeism, the standard response is there’s influenza,” she said. “What’s really the weird thing, is this is totally not something that happens in the fall. That’s one of the strange and interesting things about pandemics.”

Monitoring schools helps the county keep track the level of illness in multiple communities.

The volume of calls Stinson has been receiving over the past few weeks usually does not occur until January or February – when the seasonal flu tends to strike.

Since May 1, 43 people have been hospitalized in Pierce County with confirmed 2009 H1N1 influenza, including six patients who died, according to the TPCHD.

Peninsula School District not immune

The Peninsula School District is dealing with increased absences due to the flu and is also sending an increasing number of students home with fever.

PSD schools have reported increased absenteeism to the county and have also been tallying students who are sent home with a fever of more than 100 degrees.

The week of Oct. 19 saw an uncommon spike in the number of sick students. During that week, 82 went home with a fever. Each day, at least eight PSD schools were represented.

Each student who is sent home receives a letter from the Health Department outlining general information about influenza and other health information.

Absenteeism at PSD schools went over 10 percent 16 times last week.

Terry Bouck, PSD superintendent, says that the district’s absentee rates due to flu-like illness are higher than normal for this time of the year. The district also has a zero tolerance policy for students who return to school sick.

“If they come back, we take their temperature and if they have a fever, they are sent home,” Bouck said.

The timing of this flu points towards H1N1, not seasonal influenza, said Carol Jones, PSD’s lead school nurse.

“This is likely H1N1,” she said. “It is appearing early in the school year and when you have the run-of-the-mill flu, you see it in January or February.”

The district isn’t changing its general policy, whether it’s dealing with H1N1 or the seasonal flu.

“We treat it like we always do,” Jones said. “We keep track, we monitor and reinforce good hand washing.”

Bouck’s message was also simple.

“Wash your hands and stay home if you are sick,” he said. “We have to protect everyone and make sure it doesn’t become a problem.”

Immunization is vital for school-aged children, Stinson added.

“School kids take disease home to the family,” she said. “That’s why we’re really interested in getting school kids immunized.”

Free H1N1 immunizations

There will be two free immunization clinics offered to school-aged children to receive the H1N1 flu vaccine. Franciscan Healthcare nurses will administer the vaccine.

Oct. 28, 3 to 5:45 p.m. at Key Peninsula Middle School, 5510 Key Peninsula Hwy N in Lakebay.

November 18, 2:30 to 5:15 p.m. at Peninsula High School, 14105 Purdy Dr. NW in Gig Harbor.