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Swine flu has yet to overwhelm the Kearney R-1 School District but it is taking a bite out of attendance.

“We’re up in influenza-like cases overall,” Superintendent Dr. Bill Nicely said. “Our attendance rate is close to 94 percent, which is lower than normal for this time of year.”

Nicely said no one school appears to be getting hit harder than any of the others.

“It varies from day to day,” he said.

The superintendent said the school district is taking a proactive approach to keeping the attendance rate from dropping even further.

“The big thing is we’re encouraging parents to keep children at home while they are still recovering,” he said.

In the schools, student desktops, computer keyboards, doorknobs, phones, water coolers and restroom facilities are being disinfected each evening, according to the district’s Web site.

In Kearney classrooms, students are being encouraged to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds and to use proper sneezing and cough etiquette.

Public health officials have said it is likely that many of the influenza-like cases are H1N1 virus related as traditional seasonal flu is seldom seen until late November or early December.

Jodee Fredrick, public information officer for the Clay County Public Health Center, said the initial nasal spray doses of H1N1 vaccine, which are not appropriate for use by certain high-risk groups, should arrive this week.

Injectible doses of the vaccine will arrive in the coming weeks.

Initial doses of the vaccine will be distributed to the groups considered to be highest at risk from H1N1, following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

Fredrick said it has not been determined if vaccines would be offered in area schools but said the health center is work working closely with area school districts to provide whatever assistance is needed.

ONLINE

For more information about the H1N1 virus, visit www.clayhealth.com.

WHAT TO DO

- If your child is feeling ill or running a fever, keep them at home

- Individuals with the flu should remain at home at least 24 hours after their fever subsides without the use of antiviral drugs or fever reducing medication

- Don’t let missing tests or work be the reason students come to school feeling ill or running a fever

- If your family does not have current phone numbers on file with the school district, send those numbers to your school office as soon as possible

Source: www.kearney.k12.mo.us

Senior writer Mark Johnson can be reached at 628-6010 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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