By Sherri Brown

Staff writer

As expected, the novel H1N1 flu virus has made an early appearance in Troup County and across Georgia. However, the early predictions of a severe flu strain have not proven to be the case.

During a statewide conference call Thursday for school systems, Rhonda Medows, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Health, stressed to listeners that the severity level of H1N1 flu virus - commonly known as swine flu - is the same as the seasonal flu.

Since the start of the school year, the flu has begun to spread among children.

“Districtwide we’re seeing an increase in the (school) absentee rate and an increase in sending children home with fever,” said Hayla Hall, risk communicator for District 4 Public Health Services.

Hall receives daily absentee percentages from all Troup County schools.

“We expected to see the incidence of the flu increase once school started and we did. We’re not surprised by it,” Hall said.

School systems report to the state education office when absentee rates hit 10 percent or more.

“Troup County had a couple of schools that were around 8 or 9 percent, but the others are at a normal level,” Hall said.

No schools have hit the 10 percent absentee rate.

LaGrange pediatrician Lisa Allardice saw five cases of the flu last week and on Monday had 18 confirmed cases of the flu in her office.

“It’s been prevalent among middle schoolers, but I’ve seen younger kids with it as well,” Allardice said.

While she does a rapid test for flu, Allardice does not test for the specific H1N1 virus.

“We’re not seeing the seasonal flu so we’re assuming that if a child has the flu, it’s H1N1. The CDC doesn’t want to type the flu unless the child is sick enough for the hospital,” she said.

Allardice has not hospitalized any of her patients with the flu.

The Children’s Clinic also is seeing a large number of children with the flu, said pediatrician Eric Zerla, who has hospitalized one child with the flu virus.

“It seems that everyone with a fever and a cough has the flu,” Zerla said. “Most are getting over it in three or four days.”

According to the CDC, the H1N1 flu symptoms include rapid onset of fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people also have reported diarrhea and vomiting. Most infected people recover from H1N1 within four or five days.

The flu virus does not respond to antibiotics.

Allardice and Zerla both follow CDC recommendations and recommend treating the flu symptoms, getting rest and drinking lots of fluids. They prescribe antivirals only for very sick children or those at a high risk for complications. High-risk groups include babies, pregnant women and people with other diseases such as asthma, diabetes or a heart condition.

For healthy children, the treatment for this flu is “lots of rest, lots of fluids, treat the symptoms and stay out of school,” Allardice said. “This is no different than any other flu at this point. Don’t panic. Panic only makes it worse.”

Seasonal flu vaccine on hand; shot for swine flu on the way

While the seasonal flu vaccine usually is administered in October, this year’s supplies have been sent out early and are available in Troup County.

This vaccine will not protect against H1N1 flu virus, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the vaccine for children ages 6 months to 19 years, people in high-risk categories, pregnant women, health-care workers and people older than 50. A second vaccine, specifically targeting the H1N1 flu virus, is expected to be available in about six weeks.

All pediatricians’ offices in Troup County are “Vaccines for Children” providers and provide vaccines for uninsured, Medicaid and underinsured children at the same cost as vaccines at the Health Department.

— Emory Clark-Holder Clinic will hold flu shot clinics from 8 to 11:30 a.m. Saturdays beginning this weekend. Adults and children who are not patients at ECHC may attend the clinics.

— Pediatric Associates in LaGrange will begin offering seasonal flu vaccination shots and mist for its patients Tuesday.

— The Children’s Clinic will offer the seasonal flu vaccines as soon as it receives its shipment. Patients should call for an appointment.

— Kroger pharmacy will offer flu shots beginning Sept. 7.

Schools work to limit flu’s spread

Troup County schools are educating children to wash their hands – 15 to 20 seconds with soap and water – often. However, the H1N1 flu virus is spread mainly through coughing or sneezing by people with the flu.

“Even if they closed the schools and wiped them down, as soon as kids come back and are sick, it’s not going to do any good. The illness is in the sick children,” said LaGrange pediatrician Eric Zerla.

As is the case with any flu season, the schools ask that parents keep their children at home until they have been without a fever, without medication, for 24 hours. If children are sent home from school with a fever one day, they will not be allowed back at school the next day, said Catherine Holmes, spokeswoman for Troup County schools.

Sherri Brown can be reached at sbrown@ lagrangenews. com or at (706) 884-7311, Ext. 240.