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Journal North: Home | Sports | Opinion | Obits | Entertainment
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Chaparral Elementary Takes Extra Steps To Protect Its Students, Faculty From Contracting Swine Flu
By Polly Summar
Journal Staff Writer
Even on Halloween Eve afternoon — amid ghouls and ghosts at Chaparral Elementary — hand sanitizers and posters about coughing into elbows were seemingly everywhere.
"The school's been great about keeping in touch with parents about their concerns over swine flu," said Lawrence Martinez, father of a third-grader, who was there decorating for a Halloween party. "Faith has even come home with suggestions for us, about washing our hands and coughing in your shirt sleeve."
Like all schools in the Santa Fe district responding to the outbreak of H1N1, or swine flu, said Principal Theresa Ulibarri, Chaparral has installed antibacterial foam soap in all the bathrooms, and every classroom has a bottle of hand sanitizer.
"Our high for absences was a recent Monday with 32 absences," Ulibarri said. (A child who becomes sick at school is sent home only if his/her fever is 100 degrees or higher.)
The Department of Health, in tracking the illness, had noted a drop in people seeking medical help for flulike symptoms in the week ending Oct. 28 compared to the week ending Oct. 21. It reported 21 deaths and 634 hospitalizations related to H1N1 statewide.
Since school began, however, Ulibarri said she has received only three absence notes in which the swine flu virus was said to be confirmed as positive.
The three notes came either from Christus St. Vincent Regional Hospital or medical clinics, Ulibarri said, so she decided to call them. "I asked them how they determined the students were positive for H1N1," she said. "They said, 'They presented with flulike symptoms.'"
"I discovered that the only time they give the actual test is when the child was actually admitted to the hospital," Ulibarri said.
Dr. Kevin Garrett, chief medical officer with Christus St. Vincent, told the Journal in mid-October there was no reason to confirm H1N1 microbiologically. "If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, the treatment's going to be the same," Garrett said. "Frankly, unless patients are demanding it, our advice is you don't need to be tested — you just need to be treated."
Garrett said that since the typical seasonal flu is not in the environment yet — it tends to be rampant in January, February and March — 99 percent of patients who test positive for the flu are dealing with H1N1.
Ulibarri said the school is taking no chances, making sure every possible preventive measure is covered. "We sent a survey to all the teachers, making sure there was a sink, soap, paper towels and hand sanitizers in each classroom," she said. "The district is now providing hand sanitizer in big containers to every school" so the school can fill smaller containers with it.
During morning announcements — amid news of the day's lunch menu and how the sports teams are doing — is usually a health tip, too, like, "Did you remember to wash your hands this morning?"
In addition, the janitors clean every surface — from door handles and light switches to sinks and water fountains — at least three times a day.
"We've given 300 flu vaccines so far," said Ulibarri. There are 428 students in the school. "Some were absent, some of the parents were 'conscientious objectors,' some forgot their permission slips, some got the shot elsewhere."
Dominic Solis, 8, a third-grader, was vigorously washing his hands at a hallway sink outside the boys' restroom Friday afternoon beside a sign that said to wash at least 20 seconds.
"I've only gotten sick twice," Solis said, "but my sister pretty much got sick 10 times ... I wash my hands more often."
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