This winter, spread holiday cheer, not viruses

“Local schools have been reporting an increased number of students with the ‘flu,’ but what does that really mean?” asked Mineral County Public Health Nurse Barb Jasper.

In general people mean either influenza (fever, body aches, cough, sore throat runny nose, fatigue) or a stomach virus (vomiting and diarrhea.) Although the nation and Montana are seeing an increase in influenza cases, Mineral County medical providers and labs have not yet reported a positive lab-confirmed case of influenza yet.

“This lack of positive labs does not mean that several viruses aren’t circulating around the county making many of us sick”, she said.

The Center for Disease Control and the American Academy of Pediatrics has a number of tips to help prevent people from getting sick. This includes getting the flu vaccine every year. The vaccine is recommended for all people six months of age and older. Also, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or cough into your elbow (not hands) to help prevent the spread of germs.

Wash hands often with soap and water. If soup and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub. Also, avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth because germs can be spread this way. Avoid close contact with sick people as much as possible and if you are sick with flu-like illness, the Center recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever ends without the use of fever reducing medicine before you go back to school or work.

In order to help prevent the spread of stomach viruses, wash hands and keep things clean are a person’s best defense. Use soap and water and wash for at least 20 seconds. Some stomach viruses, like norovirus, can survive hand sanitizer. Also, wash commonly touched surfaces often and use a high heat setting on the dryer for contaminated laundry. Remember to avoid sharing food or utensils and if you are sick and vomiting or have diarrhea simply stay home.

The Mineral County Health Department gets lots of questions about when parents should keep their children home from school and they recommend students be kept home if the student has a fever, is not well enough to participate in class and if the parent thinks they may be contagious to other children

“If your child has been ill but is feeling better, yet has still awak¬ened with a minor problem, such as a runny nose or slight head¬ache, you can send them to school if none of the three circumstances listed above are present. Even so, make sure the school and your child have a phone number where you can be reached during the day if more serious symptoms develop and they need to return home,” said Jasper.