Public
officials go on offensive to stop spread of flu
virus
Saturday, October 23, 2004 • By JENNA
PORTNOY • The Express-Times
Every year, nurse Maureen Leavy teaches Central School
students how to avoid spreading germs.
But this year she plans to reiterate her message through
an article in the Great Meadows Regional School District
newsletter.
"We're just in a position where everyone is going to
have to be more conscious about communicable diseases and
how they are spread," Leavy said in reaction to the national
flu vaccine shortage.
"People will have to make an effort to be more
considerate and to make an effort to stay home if they are
sick."
This flu season school officials are redoubling their
efforts to keep their hallways and classrooms from turning
into germ factories.
Some tips for prevention include washing hands often,
keeping hands away from nose and eyes, getting plenty of
sleep, reducing stress, exercising and cleaning contaminated
surfaces with a disinfectant.
Donna Schappell, a pharmacist and nutrition counselor at
Hartzell's Health and Wellness Center in Catasauqua,
recommends the following ways to build the immune
system:
- Saventaro, a dietary supplement also known as cat's
claw, should be taken three times a day for the first 10
days, twice a day for the next five days and then once a
day through the entire flu season.
- Take a one-gram tablet of vitamin C two to three
times daily.
- Take a multivitamin/mineral supplement more than once
a day to deliver the micronutrients to the body
throughout the day, not just in one burst.
If flu symptoms start to develop, Schappell said the
homeopathic remedy Oscilloccinum reduces fever, chills, body
aches and pain.
Schappell cautioned people who receive the live
attenuated vaccine FluMist to avoid public places for 21
days after being vaccinated. It is recommended for people
ages 5 to 49, she said.
Stan Doublosky, of theherbbarn.net,
the Web site associated with the former Nazareth retail
store, suggested echinacea. Although some people take
echinacea all year long or every day during flu season,
Doublosky said the supplement should be taken only after
cold symptoms appear.
Echinacea tricks the body into thinking it's under
attack, therefore boosting the immune system. But it only
works for 10 days, Doublosky said.
Elderberry extract has also been shown to reduce the
symptoms and shorten the duration of the flu, he said.
Terry Burger, infection control manager at Lehigh Valley
Hospital and Health Network, said the anti-viral medications
amantadine, rimantadine, oseltamivir and zanamivir also are
available for prevention or to treat high-risk
individuals.
For example, Burger said the drugs would be prescribed
for a flu outbreak in a nursing home.
The medications do have restrictions and side effects,
and they are only available by prescription.
"There is a short period of time when a person is
exposed in order for the medication to be effective," she
said.
Burger said the supply of those anti-viral medications
is unknown at this time, but the government began
stockpiling the drugs and recommended hospitals do the same
because of the vaccine shortage.
At schools, administrators will continue to remind
parents to encourage healthy habits among children.
Belvidere High School nurse Donna Golda has noticed high
school students using hand-sanitizing gel.
"I hound the kids all the time to wash their hands,"
Golda said. "It seems like all my kids that have asthma that
I'm concerned about have gotten their flu shots."
Burger said using waterless antibacterial gel was equal,
and sometimes better, than washing when hands were not
visibly soiled.
Within the next two weeks, the Nazareth Area School
District will distribute tips from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention on how to recognize cold and flu
symptoms, what parents should do if their children exhibit
the symptoms, how the flu is spread and how to prevent the
flu.
The information will be sent home with middle and
elementary school students and mailed home to the parents of
high school students, said Rosemary Mentesana, district
director of pupil services.
Nurse Leavy said most of the kindergarteners through
fifth-graders at her Independence Township school probably
wouldn't get vaccinated even if there were enough shots to
go around.
However, 34 out of 50 teachers and administrators signed
up to get vaccinated before the British government shut down
major U.S. vaccine supplier Chiron Corp.
In the case of a flu epidemic, student absenteeism would
have a negative effect on the learning environment, Leavy
said. A high rate of absenteeism among the faculty and then
a potential substitute teacher shortage could threaten the
school's ability to stay open, she said.
If people do become sick, officials advised them to stay
home as much as possible.
"That means work, school, errands, church," Burger said.
"The goal is to prevent the spread of the disease."
Allentown Times reporter Sarah Cassi contributed to this
report. Reporter Jenna Portnoy can be reached at
610-258-7171 or by e-mail at jportnoy@express-times.com.
© 2004 The Express-Times. Used with
permission.
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