Vaccinations clinics are cancelled

for Saturday, November 7 and the remaining dates in November. The reason is to direct the limited supply of vaccine to Snohomish County medical providers whose patients are at high risk of complications from H1N1 influenza. No retail pharmacies and not all providers will have vaccine until the supply of vaccine improves.

The Snohomish Health District began distributing H1N1 vaccine to doctors’ offices Nov. 4 beginning with providers who are registered and participating in the state Vaccine for Children program. Private providers will not charge for the vaccine, but may charge an administration fee for each dose.

A list of Snohomish County providers who have a small supply of vaccine will be posted on www.snocoflu.com and updated weekly.
Those at high risk for complications are:
• those ages six months to 24 years,
• caregivers of children younger than six months old,
• people ages 25 to 64 who have chronic medical conditions,
• health-care workers, emergency services personnel (younger than age 65)
• school teachers (younger than age 65)
• childcare professionals (younger than age 65)
• and pregnant women

More and more reports are being heard of students and community members with influenza-like symptoms. School staff is working closely with health officials to keep youth healthy.

Custodians are paying extra attention to high-touch area such as light switches and railings. Hand sanitizer dispensers are available near lunch rooms for students unable to wash their hands in restrooms. Staff is closely monitoring attendance and working with health officials when more than 10% of students at one school are home ill. School staff members appreciate the extra help from families who are voluntarily describing symptoms when in reporting absences. This information is very important in making informed decisions.

In addition on October 22 Dr. Gary Goldbaum, MD, MPH, Health Officer & Director at the Snohomish Health District, strongly urged all schools to consider canceling or postponing extra-curricular events that involve overnight stays in close quarters to prevent the spread of H1N1 among youth. School District employees, in consultation with the health departments, will determine whether a school event is cancelled or postponed.

If it is decided an overnight trip will be allowed, we ask families to help us by following these precautions:

1. Students, staff members, volunteers or chaperones, who have flu-like symptoms, should not attend events.
2. If there is evidence at the time of departure that a student appears to have influenza-like symptoms (especially fever and cough/sore throat), that student will not attend.
3. If influenza-type symptoms begin during the trip staff members will isolate the student and contact the parents/guardians to pick-up the student, promptly.

Be Prepared
Please make certain school staff have updated emergency contact information and have a back-up plan prepared in advance.

Current thinking is that it is unlikely schools will close but it is a possibility if the number of those becoming ill in our community grows too large. While no one wants school to be closed it is important to have a plan should your child or you become ill.

Consider these potential decisions:

• Who can care for my sick child if I must go to work?
• Who can care for my child if I become ill?
• Who will care for my child should schools close? Remember if schools close it is likely other areas where children gather will also be impacted by that decision, i.e. daycare facilities, youth clubs

The most important precautions families can take remain:

• Wash your hands – use warm water and soap and continue to scrub through two choruses of the Happy Birthday song

• Cover your cough – encourage family members to use the inside of the elbow to help limit the spread of germs when coughing or sneezing

• Stay home when sick - Centers for Disease Control (CDC) staff recommend those sick with this illness to stay home for 24 hours after the fever subsides (without the use of fever-reducing medicine).

In deciding when to keep your child at home answer these two questions:

1. Does your child have fever (100o Fahrenheit or higher)?
2. Does your child have a sore throat, cough, or other flu-like symptoms?

If you answered “yes” to both questions, keep your child at home as recommended as these are symptoms of influenza. If you answered “yes” to only one of the questions above, or if your child appears ill with other symptoms, keep your child at home at least one day to observe and until fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medicine). Please call your child's school nurse if you have more questions

For additional information, please visit these websites:

• www.SnoCoFlu.com
• Snohomish Health District
• Centers for Disease Control
• US Department of Health and Human Services “Flu.gov”
• Washington State Department of Health
• Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction

For commonly requested medical forms