Local students have a new curriculum added to school this year – proper handwashing techniques and
coughing etiquette. Public health officials are hoping the new training will keep more of them in
school, and fewer home sick with the flu.
When the H1N1 flu first hit earlier this year, some schools throughout the nation closed down when just a
single student came down with the relatively unknown flu. However, that preventative effort backfired
when parents let children congregate at malls or organized ball games, rather than isolating them to
prevent spread of the illness.
So this fall, the game plans for schools look quite different, with schools being advised by the Centers
for Disease Control to stay open if possible.
"Children are safer in school," explained Ann Smith, director of nursing for the Wood County
Health Department.
In order to prepare for the flu season, health department officials met with local school superintendents
Wednesday to discuss how to prevent the illness from spreading in their schools. Officials from Bowling
Green, Eastwood, Lake, North Baltimore, Northwood, Otsego, Penta, Perrysburg and the county educational
service center attended.
Wood County Health Commissioner Pam Butler assured the superintendents that schools won’t be ordered to
shut their doors.
"That’s not the case now," she said, referring to the closings earlier this year in other
regions of the country. "We’re not going to be the ones closing you down."
Individual district officials will decide when absenteeism is so high that they can no longer function.
But the issue won’t be cut and dry.
"We will look at it by school, by the situation. We don’t want to get locked in," by setting a
firm number of absentees that will lead to a school closing, said Bowling Green Superintendent Hugh
Caumartin. "You’ve got to roll with the punches."
North Baltimore Superintendent Kyle Clark agreed that the goal is to keep kids in the schools.
"At what point do you affect the education of the entire student body?" Clark asked.
But there may be other factors that come into play – such as the limited pool of substitute teachers in
the area to replace sick teachers.
"The other issue is, if it hits our staff, do we have enough substitutes?" Clark said.
The superintendents were given advice by Wood County Health Department epidemiologist Amy Jones on how to
keep the flu from taking over their school populations.
First, promote thorough and frequent handwashing among students and staff. "I think some of the
schools have already started handwashing campaigns," she said.
Jones advised that schools have plenty of hand sanitizer gel available.
Wood County Hospital’s Wellness Program staff has been going into the elementary schools to teach
students proper handwashing techniques. With the help of a black light that makes dirty hands glow, the
"High Five Program" shows students how to get rid of "Mr. Germ," said Dot Downing,
manager of the hospital’s Wellness Program.
Children are taught that good handwashing doesn’t mean just running their fingers under the faucet, but
actually means scrubbing with soap between the fingers for at least 20 seconds – or the time it takes to
sing "Happy Birthday" or the "ABC" song twice.
"Her mission is to educate them that they can avoid a lot of illnesses if they wash their
hands," said Catherine Harned, hospital spokesperson.
Second, Jones suggested that school staffs be urged to clean surfaces throughout the day with
disinfectants. Since the flu virus can survive for two to eight hours on surfaces, desktops, doorknobs
and computer keyboards should be cleaned often, she said.
Students and staff should also be encouraged to cough and sneeze into their sleeves or tissues.
Any student who starts getting sick at school should be isolated from other students until a parent
arrives. Sick students should not try to tough it out and go to school, but instead should stay home for
24 hours after their fever is gone, Jones said.
Schools should stock up on some supplies, such as hand sanitizer, and facial masks for children who come
down with a fever and cough while at school.
Jones asked that school districts report high absenteeism to the health department.
"This is not information we would be using to close you down," she said.
School officials were also asked to create a list of personnel who should be among the first to receive
the H1N1 vaccine when it arrives. Smith explained it is still unknown when the vaccine will be
distributed and how many doses Wood County will receive. According to Centers for Disease Control
guidelines, the most vulnerable populations are pregnant women and their household contacts; caregivers
for children under 6 months old since those children cannot be vaccinated; children ages 6 months to 18
years old since they are often in close contact with each other; adults age 19 to 24 since they
frequently live in close quarters and are very mobile; ages 25 to 64 who are at high risk for medical
complications from the flu; and health care and emergency medical personnel.
When the vaccine does arrive, Smith said immunization clinics will likely be held at several locations
throughout the county. Four community forums will also be hosted later this month and in October to
discuss the H1N1 flu.
In addition to H1N1, the health department staff also has to immunize the public against the seasonal
flu. A large vaccination clinic is planned for Oct. 8, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., in the Junior Fair
Building at the Wood County Fairgrounds in Bowling Green.
The plan is to set aside the morning for immunization of seniors, the afternoon for the general public
and emergency responders, and the evening for children and pregnant women. During that clinic,
physicians will be available to talk about H1N1.
