Teachers' Circle

We are getting slammed here....how about you?

60% of my department is out sick (either themselves or with sick children), we had 87 out of 450 absent Friday and today is even worse - it's like a ghost town in here except for those lined up outside the nurses office. I've never quite witnessed anything like this before.

Judy 

I am not in a school presently, but I had the flu BAD during the first wave, and milder during the current one.  Don't know if either was swine because they don't test for strain.

Express!

Beth "Petrouchka"

I live in an urban area with two county-wide districts. One district had one school that got close to 25% absences a couple of weeks ago. The other hasn't had a major problem in any building. There are some spotty reports of H1N1, but no real proof because they won't test. In higher ed I haven't had a student report having H1N1.

Who's getting the vacinations in your area? One county is starting with the elementary schools and also doing a public clinic weekly for high risk. The other county is doing public clinics with huge lines. There isn't nearly enough to go around. At this rate there won't be enough coverage to protect most people if we get a major breakout started.

Sherry

I do not know what our stats are, but I am missing roughly 15-20% of my students on any given day. Some classes have had 50% of their students absent. It doesn't seem to be just H1N1. I'm not sure if parents are being more willing to keep sick kids home, or if there are more illnesses running around. We have had about 10% of our teachers out as well.

The health department plans to run a vaccine clinic, but we do not yet have any definite date. I fear that by the time the flu clinic arrives that it will be too late.

-Judy- me 36, DH 36, DS born 6/12/2000 and DD born 4/19/2009

Our county health departments have had the vaccine in very limited quantities. Unfortunately there hasn't been any real rhyme or reason to who gets the vaccine...actually it has kind of been a who-do-you-know situation - small town issue I guess. Our pediatrician has not had any yet and has no idea when they will get a shipment. 

I took a chance and called our county health department on Monday morning and they said that they had 5 doses left. They did let me schedule appointments for my 2 daughters (5 & 8 - one with asthma) for today. So both girls should get their 1st dose today and will need another dose in 1 month for full protection.

Stay well!! Judy

P.S. we had 130 out of 450 yesterday :(