Washtenaw County: Reported cases of respiratory illness - possible swine flu - doubled recently in schools
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The number of kids in Washtenaw County out sick due to flu-like illness - largely boosted by swine flu - nearly doubled late last month, according to county health department statistics.
The increase came even after county officials said the previous week was at “peak” levels for a typical flu season. This flu season is anything but typical, said county health department epidemiologist Laura Bauman.
More than 55 students per 1,000 students in Washtenaw County reported respiratory illnesses in the week of Oct. 24, up from about 32 students per 1,000 students in Washtenaw County the previous week.
Dylan Rhodes, 8, of Ypsilanti, grimaces as he gets his H1N1 flu shot at the Washtenaw Intermediate School District building.
Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com
During the week of Oct. 10, about 17 cases of respiratory illness were reported per 1,000 students.
“I’ve never seen levels like this,” Bauman said.
Typically, peak flu season isn't until mid-winter and doesn't result in such high levels of reported illness.
Still, no schools have reported enough absences to warrant being on a “watch list” for potential closure. Superintendents have been told to alert the county if they reach a 20 percent absenteeism rate. A school is considered for closure if it gets to a 25 percent to 30 percent absenteeism rate.
So far, 20 hospitalizations of Washtenaw County residents have occurred — five during the week of Oct. 18 — since the end of August.
No deaths of Washtenaw County residents have been linked to the H1N1 flu.
Typically, the peak of a flu season lasts about seven weeks. Bauman estimates Washtenaw County is about two to three weeks in, but it will be impossible to determine until the end of the season.
Last week, the county health department announced a free vaccination clinic for the highest priority groups in the county.
That clinic is scheduled to distribute 4,000 doses of vaccine at Eastern Michigan University’s Convocation Center, 799 N. Hewitt Road in Ypsilanti, from 10 a.m. to 7 pm. on Thursday, Nov. 5.
The health department decided to cancel clinics it originally scheduled at local schools after a clinic held to distribute 1,000 doses at the Washtenaw Intermediate School District was flooded by residents who wanted to get the vaccine.
The next clinic should have better parking and more volunteers, the health department has said.
Those in the highest-priority groups include:
• Pregnant women
• Household caregivers of children younger than 6 months.
• Children ages 6 months to 4.
• Those ages 5 through 18 who have underlying medical conditions linked with higher risk of flu complications.
• Health care workers who provide direct patient care.
The health department has said the vaccinations are only for county residents. The clinic will not require parents to prove their children have underlying health conditions, but health care workers will be asked to show some sort of evidence of employment.
Tina Reed covers health and the environment for AnnArbor.com. You can reach her at tinareed@annarbor.com, call her at 734-623-2535 or find her on Twitter @TreedinAA.
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Is there any estimate of how much of this is caused by actual illness and how much is caused by scare mongering of the media and public officials? :-p
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Posted Nov 2
Excellent reporting, Tina, althought we don't seem to have that problem, as much, in our neighborhood anymore. Thanks to reporters like you.
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Posted Nov 2
the sky is falling, the sky is falling, the sky is falling
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Posted Nov 2
in4mation,
Here you go. People are running around like chickens with their heads cut off. Amazing the level of propaganda to scare the public into taking the vaccine. For example, of the reported swine flu cased in California, only 2% turned out to be actual swine flu. It is a scam to enrich big pharma. With the massive deficit this country is running, it is a shame our government is still giving out billions to special interests while endangering the lives of its citizens and tax payers.
http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/731.html
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Posted Nov 2
I don't think the drug companies are making money off of this.
I just read these headlines about the impact of swine flu. It seems the impact is not that people are getting sick from swine flu but that they flooding ERs because they have, or think they have, flu like symptoms. The impact is that people are waiting in line for a vaccination for a flu that wasn't as prevalent as the regular flu last year. The impact is that kids are kept out of school not because they are sick but because their parents are afraid they will get sick.
It looks like a chinese fire drill (no disrespect to actual chinese american firefighters).
In the end when it turns out to be a big nothing I'm sure the CDC and WHO and others will pat themselves on the back for the disaster averted. When maybe they had nothing to do with averting it in the first place. ;-/
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Posted Nov 2
"Swine flu vaccines sales lift Glaxo, AstraZeneca, and Sanofi"
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/30/pharma-earns-astrazeneca-glaxosmithkline-lifted-by-swine-flu-v/
How can they not be making any money when our government pre-paid for the vaccines. Whether or not they are used. Our government will be holding tens of millions of unused vaccines. Also, these drug companies have immunity from our government from any side effects. What a scam.
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Posted Nov 2
Okay so some are making money. I don't think it was the point of the swine flu scaremongering.
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Posted Nov 2
"The increase came even after county officials said the previous week was at “peak” levels for a typical flu season."
If you read about the 1918 Spanish flu, you'll find comments like this were common then as well. The public health officials have to be very careful not to say more than the facts. In some places in 1918, the health officials lost all credibility because they repeatedly assured people the worst was past, only to be proven wrong soon after.
We've been very lucky with the lack of mutation or adaptation to humans with the virus so far. Apparently there was a case found in the Netherlands where Tamiflu-resistant H1N1 was found in two people, but they don't think it spread any further.
BTW, one really good website I've found for medical news on H1N1 is Medicinenet. Their news page is at http://www.medicinenet.com/latest_health_news/article.htm. Of course, by far the best source for Michigan H1N1 news is AnnArbor.com. I had no idea there was a map of Michigan school closings.
And, BTW, those of you who think this is all scare-mongering should read this article at Medicinenet: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=107269
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Posted Nov 4