Information and resources regarding influenza-like illnesses

With continued media attention on the influenza, the district is providing this page as a resource for parents and community members seeking facts and information about the flu virus.

Albany County Health Department announces free, unrestricted H1N1 vaccine clinics

Jan. 25, 2010

The Albany County Department of Health has announced an additional free H1N1 vaccination clinic scheduled for:

• Sunday, February 7, 2010, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Bethlehem Central High School Gymnasium. DOWNLOAD THE H1N1 FLYER FOR DETAILS

The H1N1 vaccine is also available by appointment only, at the Albany County Department of Health, 175 Green Street in Albany. Please note that ALL Albany County residents 6 months and older are now eligible to receive the H1N1 vaccine.

For more information, including registration information (pre-registration is required), call the Albany Department of Health at (518) 447-4505, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or visit the department's Web site.  
 

Public service update on H1N1

Dec. 4, 2009

Read an H1N1 update from The Albany county Department of Health, which includes background information on pandemics, upcoming flu vaccination clinic dates and key findings surrounding the virus. Weekly updates are provided on the Albany County Department of Health Web site.

Public service health update on H1N1

November 13, 2009

As the Voorheesville Central School District continues to work with the state and county health departments, we will continue to use our communication network to provide our community with new information regarding H1N1 as it becomes available to us. The county health department would like to encourage parents to call or take their child to a doctor right away if the child experiences any of the following symptoms:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing

• Bluish or gray skin color

• Not drinking enough fluids

• Severe or persistent vomiting

• Not waking up or not interacting

• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held

• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

• Has other conditions (like heart or lung disease, diabetes, or asthma) and develops flu symptoms, including a fever and/or cough.

A message from Superintendent Dr. Teresa Snyder

October 22, 2009

As expected we are beginning to see more and more “flu like illnesses” which are affecting students and staff. We have not had any confirmed cases of H1N1 reported to our offices. That is most likely due to the fact that confirmed cases are rare because of the limited number of submissions to diagnostic labs. Locally, medical facilities are treating the increase in cases as probably related to H1N1. The precautions remain the same and we urge you to keep your child home if he or she complains of feeling ill. We are maintaining a positive approach to cleaning and disinfecting. Our nurses are working diligently to attend to children who develop symptoms during the day and we are sending children home when they present with symptoms here at school. We appreciate your cooperation as we try to minimize the impact of this virus on the children of Voorheesville. As described in the news, this is affecting young people much more powerfully than older people. We will continue to keep you informed of any information pertaining to the flu like illnesses identified in the school. Again, thank you for your cooperation.

Update from Albany County Department of Health (Oct. 2, 2009)
Read a few words from Superintendent Dr. Teresa Snyder (Sept. 2009)

Students feeling ill during school day should visit school nurse

"As a district, we are currently being asked by the Department of Health to collect data on the number of students we have out sick with flu related symptoms," says Mark Diefendorf, high school principal. "If your child calls you by cell phone and informs you that he or she is sick, please encourage them to visit the school nurse to report the illness so that proper documentation can be made regarding his or her attendance."

In August 2009, the Centers for Disease Control released guidance for schools in handling cases of H1N1 within the student body, staff and community this fall. The CDC recognized the need to balance the risks of illness among students and staff with the benefits of keeping students in school, and said, "Based on the experience and knowledge gained in jurisdictions that had large outbreaks in spring 2009, the potential benefits of preemptively dismissing students from school are often outweighed by negative consequences, including students being left home alone, health workers missing shifts when they must stay home with their children, students missing meals, and interruption of students’ education.

In other words, a case of swine flu in the student body or among staff members will not automatically close school for any period. The district will be in close contact with the county Department of Health to ensure the latest and best H1N1 guidance, information and resources are available to parents. As the school year gets underway, parents are encouraged to be aware if their children are displaying any flu-like symptoms and keep them home from school if they are. Flu-like symptoms include: fever (over 100 degrees F.), feverishness, cough, sore throat, runny nose, and stuffy nose.

Additional symptoms may be experienced with swine flu, including muscle pain, fatigue, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea. Flu spreads easily. If you suspect your child is getting the flu, it is important that he/she does not attend school or go anywhere else—such as group childcare, the mall, or sporting events—where other people would be exposed to flu germs. It is also important to teach your children how to reduce their risk of getting the flu and protect others from infection.

Parents can help protect their children and reduce the spread of seasonal or Swine Flu by taking the following precautions:

• Teach your children to wash their hands often. Washing with soap and hot water for at least 20 seconds is ideal. (That’s about as long as it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice).

• Teach your children to keep their hands away from their face and avoid touching their mouth, nose, or eyes.

• Teach your children to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues or by coughing into the inside of their elbow. Cough or sneeze into your sleeve—not your hands! Help your children to learn these healthy habits by setting a good example and always doing them yourself.

Staying away from others who are sick (and staying away from others when we are sick are two of the most proactive steps people can take to prevent the spread of illness.

The district also routinely monitors attendance and visits to school health offices for patterns of illness and symptoms. School health officials follow up on student health concerns with medical practitioners and the county Department of Health.

In the event school needs to be closed, the district will use the normal emergency notification channels — its School News Notifier, media outlets, and this Web site.

If schools are closed, please do not make arrangements—such as sending children to a friend’s home or group childcare—that will put them in close contact with other children. It is important to plan ahead. Have a family discussion now to consider options in advance of the event of a school closing.

Please keep in mind that this is an evolving situation. We are receiving support and information on a regular basis from the State Department of Health, the Albany County Department of Health, the State Education Department and the State Emergency Management Office.

For more information about Swine Flu, please visit the links below:

• Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Swine Influenza Page

• New York State Department of Health - Swine Flu Questions and Answers

In addition, New York State has set up a 24-hour, toll-free hotline to answer your questions at 1-800-808-1987.