October
News
2
Swine Flu pandemic wallops Oregon
J ennifer S itton
Symptoms
• Exhaustion
• Headache
• Runny nose
• Sore throat
• Shome^s
breath
• Cough
• Loss of
appetite
• Aching
muscles
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Fever
• Chills
• Fatigue
While many teenagers
joke about their sick friends
having swine flu, H1N1 is no
laughing matter. Soon, H1N1,
called swine flu because it was
originally found in pigs, might
not only be a worry for those
involved in the healthcare
“Given that we are in a pandemic,
we need to expect that we will
see cases. There is not a single
community that hasn't been af
fected.”
-M a ria n Ellwood, District Nurse
industry. In June of 2009,
enough cases of H1N1 were
confirmed worldwide for the
disease to officially be raised to
the level of pandemic.
'This is the first year in
Oregon history where the
flu season never ended. It
continued on through the
summer and was transferred
through students attending
summer camps," Linda Previs,
Oregon City District Registered
Nurse, said. Even in West Linn
High School, more students
seem to be out with the flu
than is normal for this time of
year.
“Given that we are in a
Prevention
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when ill
•Take vitamins
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home for 24 hours after their
symptoms are gone without
the use of medication because
we don't want you spreading
it," Ellwood said. Although
schools cannot force ill
students to stay at home, it is
strongly suggested they stay
away until symptoms have
been gone for 24 hours. The
that we will see cases," Marilyn
Ellwood, District Nurse,
said. "There is not a single
community that hasn't been
affected." While numbers
are still low, cases have been
confirmed at West Linn as
well as in all the surrounding
areas and districts. "If you
have the flu, there's a good
chance that you have the H1N1
(swine flu)," Previs said. This is
because it is the most prevalent
flu in our community, and
because we have no immunity
to it a larger percent of the
population will be sick.
So how do you know if you
have the swine flu? H1N1 acts
the same as the regular flu,
but comes on very quickly, in
as little as a few hours. So far,
it has affected mostly young
people up to age 24; another
thing that makes it unusual.
Symptoms of the flu include
fever, cough, runny nose, body
aches, headache, chills and
fatigue. However, the most
telling signs include having a
fever over 100 degrees, body
aches and fatigue.
The flu generally lasts five
to ten days. Anti-viral drugs,
such as Tamaflu can shorten
the severity and length of
the illness if it is caught early
enough. Those who contract
the virus are contagious one
day before symptoms are
present and up to seven days
after they have passed. H1N1
is spread through coughing
and sneezing.
"We want people to stay
district is also asking that
parents inform the school of
any symptoms or test results of
their student when they call in
their illness related absence.
If a large portion of
students or staff are out sick,
it is possible that schools will
close. These closures would
be on a school to school
basis and the closure would
be a joint decision of the
Clackamas County Health
Department and the school's
superintendent, according to
Ellwood.
The H1N1 vaccine will come
out toward the end of October
in short supply. At first, it will
only be available for anyone
up to 24 years old, healthcare
workers, anyone who lives
or works with kids under six
months of age and anyone
immune compromised or with
respiratory illness. According
to Ellwood, the district has the
idea of implementing flu clinics
at schools.
For the past two years, the
OCSD has had flu clinics at
their schools and the program
has been very successful,
according to Previs. If the
school district approves the
plan to offer H1N1 vaccination
clinics during school hours, the
vaccination will be paid for by
the government and parental
consent will be necessary.
The best way to avoid
the swine flu or any flu is to
practice good hygiene such
as frequent, thorough hand
washing. The district website
says that for the washing to
be effective, sing the "Happy
Birthday" song twice. Also, to
protect everyone, if a person is
exhibiting symptoms of H1N1,
STAY HOME! It is better to
miss a few days of school than
to expose all students and
staff to the virus, according to
Ellwood.
While the idea of an H1N1
Pandemic may be frightening,
with the proper procedures
in place, frequent hand
washing and knowledge of the
symptoms, a true crisis may be
averted.
Little Ms. Piggy
Student with swine flu tells her story
L ibby K ara
I woke up on the morning
of Monday Oct. 5 feeling
worse than I had felt in a long
time. I was freezing, my throat
was sore, my head felt like it
was going to burst open and
every muscle in my body
ached. I had been debating on
whether or not I should go to
school and it didn't take long
to decide not to.
I texted my mother and told
her that, "I was experiencing
flu-like symptoms." She called
the doctor right away and
I had an appointment two
hours later. "Oh, and by the
way," she said "the doctor told
me that you're going to have
to go through the back door
because if you do have Swine
Flu, they don't want to spread
it to anyone else."
By this time I was feeling
terrible and didn't want to be
treated like a leper, but I did
as I was told. I was unaware
of how contagious this "Swine
Flu" really is.
I drove myself to the
doctor and walked up the
back stairs only to find
myself in a strange part of
the doctor's office. A woman
greeted me and hurried me
into a room where I was
to sit until someone could
help me. A nurse came in
about five minutes later, with
what looked like a q-tip that
was about 5 inches long.
Expecting her to swab my
throat, I opened my mouth
and said "AH H " but she told
me to close my mouth and
proceeded to stick that five
inch long q-tip up my nose. I
swear she touched my brain.
I was then given a regular
check-up to make sure I was
otherwise healthy, which I
obviously was not. My doctor
left the room to check my
Swine Flu test and no less
than 30 seconds later she
returned telling me that I did
in fact have Swine Flu and
that I should stay away from
pregnant women and from
children. Then she wrote my
him and he sprayed hand
sanitizer all over me.
This went on for about
an hour until he went home
and I was left confused
because I didn't realize why
everyone was deathly afraid
prescription and sent me
on my way. This all caught
of contracting Swine Flu,
when in reality it really wasn't
me slightly off-guard, but I
expected it.
that bad. I felt pretty sick for a
few days, but I have definitely
Photo by Libby Kara
Libby Kara, senior, recovers from swine flu at home. Cases
of H1N1, an extremely contagious strain of the flu have
appeared throughout the Portland-Metro area, therefore
elevating the swine flu frenzy to the level of pandemic.
Over the next couple of
days I laid in bed drinking
tea and eating soup. Every
time the Advil kicked in I'd be
sweating and once it wore off
I was freezing. On Wednesday
I had my first visitor, but it
didn't go exactly as I had
planned. My boyfriend, Max,
came over after school was
out and told me that we could
only talk if we were both
outside and 6 feet apart at all
times. I thought it was a joke
at first until I went to greet
been much sicker before.
The actual symptoms lasted
for about four days, the first
two days being the worst, I
was freezing, my back hurt
and I had a killer headache.
The third day I just had a
backache and a head cold and
the last day I had a minor
head cold. Being the invincible
person that I am, I thought I
was immune to this so-called
"Swine Flu" and so I was not
cautious at all. I definitely
learned my lesson.