By Bridget Nash Staff Writer

The H1N1 influenza, more commonly called swine flu, managed to stick around throughout the summer, and it looks like it still will be an issue when flu season starts again.

“Since it didn’t go away during the summer, they really don’t know how bad (it is going to be),” said Paula Pitcher, district nurse manager for Garfield, Grant, Major, Alfalfa and Woods County Health Departments.

A vaccine will be available for H1N1, but is not ready yet.

“It is anticipated that the vaccine will be received within the state around the middle of October,” Pitcher said. “At this time, they are saying public health is going to be responsible for giving the vaccine.”

Pitcher said some private practitioners may receive the vaccine for patients, but as of right now health departments and other public health clinics are the only clinics expected to receive shipments of the vaccine.

Before the vaccine is available there are measures that can and are being taken to help prevent the spread of H1N1 or any other flu strain.

“The most important thing you can do, of course, is wash your hands,” Pitcher said.

Pitcher said people also should try to cough or sneeze into their sleeve when possible and keep their hands away from eyes, nose and mouth. If symptoms arise, it is important to stay away from others, and if symptoms persist, visit a doctor.

Representatives from the health department also are visiting elementary schools to teach proper handwashing technique.

“Garfield County Health Department and Northern Oklahoma College nursing students have been in our schools teaching handwashing,” said Joan McIntyre, RN, BSN, Enid Public Schools director of health services.

EPS is taking other measures to help prevent the spread of illness.

“We have six nurses that travel within the schools,” McIntyre said. “We monitor communicable diseases in our schools. We also encourage social distancing of sick students.”

Students who are showing symptoms of communicable diseases are sent home and parents are asked to keep them home until symptoms subside.

“They need to stay home until they are fever- and symptom-free for at least 24 hours without any medication,” Pitcher said.

Pitcher said that guideline also applies to sick adults staying home from work to help prevent the spread of illness in the work environment.

EPS custodial staff is taking special care to keep the schools germ-free, McIntyre said.

“Our custodial staff is making extra effort to clean what we call ‘touch surfaces,’” McIntyre said.

Touch surfaces include door knobs, keyboards, water fountains, faucet handles and desks.

A new measure also is being taken in the district to keep those surfaces clean.

“One thing that I’m really excited about is that we are going to start, this week, applying a product that prevents germs from growing on surfaces,” McIntyre said.

Custodians are applying a “fine mist” to surfaces that kills germs on surfaces for up to three months, McIntyre said.

“Besides the normal things people are doing, we’re adding that special touch,” McIntyre said. “Our goal is to keep kids in school and we want to keep kids healthy.”

Teachers are being encouraged to make homework packets for kids who are absent to help keep those kids caught up with their school work. Many classrooms also have been supplied with anti-bacterial products donated by community members. Dona-tions of anti-bacterial products are welcomed by the district.

“That’s exciting that people have made these donations to the schools,” Mc-Intyre said.

Currently, no flu cases have been reported in the school district, but it still is early in the year.

“I want to encourage parents to vaccinate their children with the flu vaccine and, when it comes available, the H1N1 vaccine,” McIntyre said.

EPS will continue throughout the year to try to curb the spread of illness in the school system.

“We also make sure we have communication tools in place so that when we need to communicate something to parents we can do so quickly,” said Amber Graham Fitzger-ald, EPS director of school and community relations.

“We are taking lots of measures because prevention is the key,” McIntyre said.