Flu on move | Some parents keep kids home

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By ADAM BOWIE
bowie.adam@dailygleaner.com

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Many New Brunswick students are staying home from school as the H1N1 virus continues to make the rounds throughout the province.

Enlarge Photo

The Canadian Press

A nurse draws the H1N1 vaccine into a syringe at a vaccination clinic in Ottawa recently.

Dr. Eilish Cleary, chief medical officer of health, said absence rates between 10-20 per cent have been reported at several New Brunswick schools, which is consistent with what health officials in Nova Scotia are seeing.

"We are seeing a lot of absenteeism. We believe that some of that is due to sickness. We believe a lot of it is because people are worried and not knowing (whether they) should they be sending their children to school," she said.

"We're saying it's fine to send your children to school, if they're well."

Cleary, who said two of her children haven't felt 100 per cent lately, understands that many parents are concerned about their children's safety.

But she said keeping them home isn't a guarantee that they'll avoid the flu.

Several schools in District 18 have reported that between 20-25 per cent of their students have stayed home this week.

But Supt. Alex Dingwall said there's no way to track how many of those students are out with possible cases of H1N1.

"At Nashwaaksis Middle School, for example, I know we do have quite a number of students out, but I don't know the exact number," he said.

"As long as our staff is still able to teach, the district plans to keep the schools open. But we will evaluate each school on an individual basis as the number of absences fluctuates."

Meanwhile, local university campuses seem to be faring better.

Ryan Sullivan, director of residence life and conference services for St. Thomas University, said none of the students living in close quarters at campus residences has reported flu-like illnesses.

He said the university would consider making special arrangements for any student who contracts the pandemic virus while living in residence as a way to protect other students.

"Our plan calls for us to first encourage students to go home by private vehicle, if they're able to, and if they're not able to, we'll make arrangements to isolate them in their own room, and if they have a healthy roommate, we'll make accommodations for the healthy roommate," he said.

He said the university is also monitoring the number of students and faculty members who have been forced to skip school.

"We're still at a normal level of absences," he said.

"There have been no spikes or changes in the attendance, in both faculty and students. As of now, everything is kind of the norm, other than the work and preparation that's been going into it."

Officials from the University of New Brunswick have also taken steps to prepare for the impact of the H1N1 virus.

But university spokeswoman Natasha St. Pierre said no measures have been needed to this point.

"We had rooms designated as (quarantine) areas for students who experience flu-like symptoms and are unable to go home. So far, none of the students have used these rooms," she said in an email.

"There have been six residence students self-identify having flu-like symptoms and they were all able to go home until they were feeling better."

She said UNB is also tracking student and faculty absenteeism.

"There has not been a significant change in the number of (absences) on campus," she said.