It's back-to-flu season

Our Opinion

Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009

The battle against the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, is not as simple as a hand-washing reminder or a drop of sanitizer.

Earlier this year, some Maryland schools (though none in Southern Maryland) reported suspected swine flu cases and were closed for days — based on a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — only to find that many parents could not afford to take weeks off work without notice. Instead of quarantining children, parents in those affected jurisdictions resorted to various daytime child care options, and it didn't take long for officials to realize that shuttering schools might not have been the best solution to the problem.

It's with the knowledge of these previous experiences that the CDC focus now is on limiting the disruption of day-to-day school activities. In lieu of closing entire schools or school systems when a case of H1N1 is reported, parents are asked to keep sick children home from school until 24 hours after symptoms disappear.

So why the worry now?

The disease is taking a heavy toll in Southern Hemisphere countries that are currently in the winter season, which is leading world health officials to believe the threat for a severe flu season in the Northern Hemisphere is likely when winter arrives.

Health officials all across the United States are preparing for the worst. In St. Mary's County, schools plan to make available to all students, at no cost and with parental permission, vaccine for the both the seasonal flu and the H1N1 virus, although health officials don't know when or how much of the H1N1 vaccine will be available.

But let's face it. Parents are sure to have concerns. In 1976, a swine flu vaccine was used on 43 million people and caused about 500 people to develop a neurodegenerative condition, which led to 25 deaths.

Health officials will need to be honest with parents and ensure that all the facts about the new vaccine are put on the table. The facts about any risk involved with taking — or not taking — the vaccine must be provided. In the meantime, getting the seasonal flu vaccine is highly recommended. The regular flu shot won't protect against H1N1, but it would mean that those getting the vaccinations would be less likely to become extremely ill if they were to become infected.

Parents should begin discussing backup child care plans now if there is an outbreak, and understand that officials are only trying to operate in the best interests of the children. School and health leaders, in turn, must make sure parents are well informed about school procedures and the H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available.

But the precautions should not be limited to families with school children. The entire community should be focused on preventing the spread of H1N1, or any strain of flu for that matter. For now that means covering coughs, maintaining good hygiene practices and staying home and away from people if you do become ill.

If we're lucky, the swine flu panic will be much ado about nothing. Having people joke about an over-reaction is far preferable to a full-fledged pandemic. It's the duty health officials to make sure residents are prepared just in case, and just good sense for the people in this community to take the warnings seriously.