Stuck with Swine: Excused Absence?

Currently, a student is allowed to amass six absences for each class that she takes. After six, she is required to complete a makeup unit for that class. The oncoming threat of swine flu makes it obvious that it’s time to alter this rule.

Health experts are recommending that students stay home for at least a week in order to decrease the virus’ spread. In addition, Pres has mandated that a sick student is required to stay home until her fever is completely gone and she is 100 percent better.

That’s reasonable; after all, we don’t want to cause a major flu outbreak here.  But given how many students get sick every year, and given this new H1N1 pandemic, wouldn’t it be nice if our current absence policy could be tweaked to allow for sick students to recover without stressing out about having to do make-up units over the holidays?

There would, of course, need to be a doctor’s note in order to decipher between just skipping class and being genuinely sick. But clearly, reform of the current absentee policy is desperately needed.

Swine Flu is Out to Get You!

Do you run for cover whenever someone in your class sneezes? Are you already thinking about the long term consequences of missing school? Are you maybe thinking about swine flu?

Lately we’ve been deluged with information about the second wave of the swine flu which is anticipated to come our way this fall. The swine flu, also known as Novel Influenza A (H1N1), started a frenzy in April of this year. The first case in the United States was confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on April 15, 2009. Since then there have been an estimated 10,053 cases and 17 deaths due to this string of the flu.

The swine flu is an air-borne spread virus.  Its symptoms are very similar to regular flu symptoms, making it difficult to distinguish one from the other. According to health officials the symptoms include: fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, chills, fatigue and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting.

For all intents and purpose the H1N1 has the same symptoms as the regular seasonal flu, but it is a different strain and requires different inoculations. The groups of people that H1N1 seems to target are young adults anywhere between five and 24 years of age and people with compromised immune systems.

Despite H1N1’s standard symptoms, it seems as though some students are making this flu seem worse than it really is. Other’s however, have taken a more practical stance.
“I think that it’s all a big hype,”     said junior Meredith Hinz. “It’s not the bubonic plague that’s wiping us all out. Taking preventative measures is great, but there is no need to panic.”

What steps is Presentation taking to prevent an epidemic here at school? According to Mrs. Mikacich we wash and disinfect all desks, computer stations, weight room and restrooms daily. Hand sanitizer despensers were placed in every classroom last year as well. Students are encouraged to “cover sneezes and coughs, wash hands frequently, get vaccinated for the seasonal flu and H1N1 and stay home if you’re sick especially with a fever,” says  Mrs. Mikacich.

The Diocese of San Jose is also making temporary adaptations by telling schools to not hold hands for the Our Father or shake hands for the greeting during school masses. Many have also eliminated the drinking of the holy wine at mass.

Many schools have created a kit to send out information to their students. According to an article in Education Weekly, federal education leaders are partnering up with high technology companies such as Google and Apple to help students access their work online when they are absent. Schools are looking into putting homework online, sending e-mail attachments and using video lessons.

What can you do to prevent yourself and others from getting infected? The first and most basic steps to maintaining good health are to eat a balanced diet, get enough sleep, exercise regularly and drink six eight-ounce glasses of water per day.

More specific to the flu, we need to cough and sneeze into our sleeve as opposed to into our hands or directly into the air. When you wash your hands, wash them for as long as it takes you to sing Happy Birthday three times. Avoid touching your eyes, mouth or nose, avoid close contact with sick people and most importantly, if you’re sick, STAY HOME. Students should stay home at least 24 hours until their fever is gone and haven’t taken medicine.

Emily Harris, junior, said “To prevent myself from getting the flu, I received a flu shot and sleep as much as I can even though it is nearly impossible to with all of the homework.”

The Santa Clara County received 14,000 dosages of the nasal spray for the H1N1 vaccine on October 6 and 200,000 dosages of the vaccine will arrive by the end of October in both nasal spray and shot form.

So next time the person sitting by you sneezes, remember not to panic, say “Gesundheit” (to your health) and offer them a tissue.