Area is hit hard by flu
The good news is residents weathering illness fairly well
By Chris Todd, Of The Summit
FOREST CITY - Registered nurse Lorraine Amelsberg says patient load at the Mercy Medical Clinic-Forest City has been so high that workers there are starting to feel the pinch.
“We've been working more hours, and we're getting tired, but it's just been so busy lately,” she said.
Nurses have been dealing with an influx of patients who have been hit by cold and flu-like symptoms. They've also been fielding a large number of calls from concerned parents who are worried about the H1N1 flu and its possible effects.
Amelsberg says the clinic has been following the guidelines for treating H1N1 set down by the Center For Disease Control nationally and the Iowa Department of Public Health.
She said a flu diagnosis is put into one of two categories - influenza A or influenza B. Influenza B is considered the seasonal flu but that hasn't made its presence felt yet in the area, she said.
If the diagnosis is influenza A, the CDC and Iowa Department of Public Health has said that is most likely the H1N1 flu virus.
Amelsberg said there have been a large number of influenza-type A diagnosis' in Forest City.
“Unless a patient falls under special circumstances, like he or she has diabetes or a chronic illness, asthma or certain other conditions, we won't treat the flu symptoms,” Amelsberg said.
“For those with special circumstances, the patients are given an anti-viral medication.”
Most of the Type A diagnoses have been children under the age of 20, Amelsberg said.
The good news, according to Jennie Love, an infection prevention nurse at Mercy Medical Center in Mason City, is that the vast majority of H1N1 patients are weathering the illness and getting over it.
“The symptoms are very similar to the seasonal flu,” Love said. “And we consider all flu's as potentially serious.”
Love urged people to follow the Three C's of flu prevention - cover your cough, clean your hands frequently and contain the illness.
The latter can be done by being cautious about when a person is over the flu.
Jan Rauk, school nurse at Forest City Elementary, says parents shouldn't send their children back to school until a child has not had a fever for at least 24 hours.
She added that absenteeism at Forest City Elementary was down late last week from what it was earlier in the week.
“It's been better the past couple of days,” she said.
Symptoms of the flu, meanwhile, include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache and feeling very tired.
Some people with H1N1 flu may vomit or have diarrhea.
According to Winnebago County Public Health, children with the above symptoms should stay home from school and should not return to school or daycare unless they have been fever-free (without the use of fever reducing medication such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen) for 24 hours.
The 3 Cs
Public health officials are emphasizing the need to follow the 3 Cs during the flu season.
They include:
- Cover your cough: It's best to sneeze into your elbow and not your hands, because you don't touch as many things with your elbow as you do your hands.
- Clean your hands: Use warm, soapy water or use hand sanitizer often.
- Contain germs: This can be done in a lot of ways - from making sure doorknobs and other often-touched items are cleaned to staying home from school or work when you are sick.
In fact, school district and public health officials say that those who are sick should not return to school or work only after being fever free for at least 24 hours and doing so without the aid of fever reducers.
Story created Nov 03, 2009 - 09:50:02 CST.
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