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BV student illness absence rates on the decline
H1N1 vaccine now available to kids ages 5-18
By By Jill Meier
Challenger editor
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EmailNovember 10. 2009 6:00AM
Recent student absences to due to illness are on the decline at Brandon Valley schools.
After having peaked at 9.54 percent (1,554 student days missed) the week of Oct. 19, Superintendent Dave Pappone reported the rate fell to 4.29 percent (699 student days missed) the following week.
“We have every indication that it may level off at that rate,” Pappone said.
Since mid-September, Pappone said 5,000 student days had been missed.
Pappone said each of the district’s five schools were hit by illness at different times. “Fred Assam Elementary had the highest percentage at the end of last week’s tally, but they had been lower the week before,” he said.
Generally, Brandon Valley boasts an overall attendance rate of 98 percent, “So it’s normal for us to have about 2 percent of our kids out,” Pappone said.
Staff absences due to illness have remained manageable. “We’ve had some staff absences, but nothing that we couldn’t handle,” he said. “Half of the days missed were because they had sick children of their own at home.”
Pappone said a large majority of the staff received the seasonal flu vaccine earlier this year.
Calls last Friday to both medical clinics in Brandon – Avera McGreevy and Sanford Health – confirmed neither has the H1N1 or seasonal flu vaccines available.
In the meantime, the district awaits their supply of the H1N1 vaccine from the county health department. “It will go through the county, and as they get enough doses to hold a clinic out here in Brandon, then we’ll announce that,” Pappone said.
Two clinics are scheduled this month in Sioux Falls for Minnehaha County residents in the Tier I group. Both clinics will be held in the Minnehaha County Fairgrounds Expo Building and will be administered from 3 to 7 p.m. on Nov. 12 and 19.
Pappone encourages Brandon Valley families who meet the Tier I guidelines to attend one of these clinics. “These clinics being held aren’t just for people living in Sioux Falls,” he said. “If you’re in that tier, then you can receive your vaccine there.”
On Friday, the state announced it would make the H1N1 vaccine available to more high-risk groups – all kids 5 to 18 years, young adults from 19 to 24, and adults from 25 to 64 with chronic health conditions. Those 65 and over are not on the initial priority list because younger age groups appear to be at higher risk for H1N1 and its complications, unlike seasonal flu which impacts older adults more.
“Since we received our first vaccine in early October, supplies have been limited so we’ve targeted those doses at people for highest risk of H1N1 complications, such as pregnant women and young children,” said Doneen Hollingsworth, Secretary of Health. “The vaccine supply is slowly but steadily increasing and we’ve now distributed more than 76,000 total doses to over 400 locations in South Dakota. We know that there are still many people in the first tier who have not had a chance to get vaccinated but more public clinics are being scheduled every week and we think it’s time to start reaching out to the next group of individuals at high risk.”
High risk individuals eligible for H1N1 vaccine include pregnant women, people who live with or care for infants younger than 6 months, people aged 6 months through 24 years, health care and emergency medical services workers, and adults 25-64 with chronic health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, neuromuscular diseases, renal disease and cardiovascular disease.
Hollingsworth said that from now on, scheduled public clinics will be open to both tiers of high-risk individuals and private providers will be encouraged to offer the vaccine to their patients in both groups as well. In the next week, vaccine clinics will be held at limited schools and college campuses and more will be scheduled as vaccine supplies increase. Check http://h1n1.sd.gov for an updated listing of scheduled clinics.
As supplies increase, the vaccine will eventually be made available to the general population. In addition to H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccination, people can help prevent the flu by frequent hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home when sick.
After having peaked at 9.54 percent (1,554 student days missed) the week of Oct. 19, Superintendent Dave Pappone reported the rate fell to 4.29 percent (699 student days missed) the following week.
“We have every indication that it may level off at that rate,” Pappone said.
Since mid-September, Pappone said 5,000 student days had been missed.
Pappone said each of the district’s five schools were hit by illness at different times. “Fred Assam Elementary had the highest percentage at the end of last week’s tally, but they had been lower the week before,” he said.
Generally, Brandon Valley boasts an overall attendance rate of 98 percent, “So it’s normal for us to have about 2 percent of our kids out,” Pappone said.
Staff absences due to illness have remained manageable. “We’ve had some staff absences, but nothing that we couldn’t handle,” he said. “Half of the days missed were because they had sick children of their own at home.”
Pappone said a large majority of the staff received the seasonal flu vaccine earlier this year.
Calls last Friday to both medical clinics in Brandon – Avera McGreevy and Sanford Health – confirmed neither has the H1N1 or seasonal flu vaccines available.
In the meantime, the district awaits their supply of the H1N1 vaccine from the county health department. “It will go through the county, and as they get enough doses to hold a clinic out here in Brandon, then we’ll announce that,” Pappone said.
Two clinics are scheduled this month in Sioux Falls for Minnehaha County residents in the Tier I group. Both clinics will be held in the Minnehaha County Fairgrounds Expo Building and will be administered from 3 to 7 p.m. on Nov. 12 and 19.
Pappone encourages Brandon Valley families who meet the Tier I guidelines to attend one of these clinics. “These clinics being held aren’t just for people living in Sioux Falls,” he said. “If you’re in that tier, then you can receive your vaccine there.”
On Friday, the state announced it would make the H1N1 vaccine available to more high-risk groups – all kids 5 to 18 years, young adults from 19 to 24, and adults from 25 to 64 with chronic health conditions. Those 65 and over are not on the initial priority list because younger age groups appear to be at higher risk for H1N1 and its complications, unlike seasonal flu which impacts older adults more.
“Since we received our first vaccine in early October, supplies have been limited so we’ve targeted those doses at people for highest risk of H1N1 complications, such as pregnant women and young children,” said Doneen Hollingsworth, Secretary of Health. “The vaccine supply is slowly but steadily increasing and we’ve now distributed more than 76,000 total doses to over 400 locations in South Dakota. We know that there are still many people in the first tier who have not had a chance to get vaccinated but more public clinics are being scheduled every week and we think it’s time to start reaching out to the next group of individuals at high risk.”
High risk individuals eligible for H1N1 vaccine include pregnant women, people who live with or care for infants younger than 6 months, people aged 6 months through 24 years, health care and emergency medical services workers, and adults 25-64 with chronic health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, neuromuscular diseases, renal disease and cardiovascular disease.
Hollingsworth said that from now on, scheduled public clinics will be open to both tiers of high-risk individuals and private providers will be encouraged to offer the vaccine to their patients in both groups as well. In the next week, vaccine clinics will be held at limited schools and college campuses and more will be scheduled as vaccine supplies increase. Check http://h1n1.sd.gov for an updated listing of scheduled clinics.
As supplies increase, the vaccine will eventually be made available to the general population. In addition to H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccination, people can help prevent the flu by frequent hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home when sick.
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Student absences due to illness are declining since the Brandon Valley School district reached its peak the week Oct. 19. Challenger file photo |  |
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