From schools to churches to workplaces, bug changes behavior

Courtney Taylor, a P.G. Elementary School student, won first place in the countywide "Shoo The Flu" poster contest. But when it came time to have her picture made for the newspaper, she didn't show up.
She was home with the flu.
When Courtney recovers, she'll enjoy a goody-filled, Halloween gift basket courtesy of Bi-Lo and The McDowell News will return for a photo.
On hand, however, to talk about her third place victory was Keely Melton, also a student at P.G. Keely's ideas for the poster she designed came from flu prevention literature around her school, notices taped to the walls and passed around in classrooms and flyers that were sent home.
When asked if she or a family member had been stricken with the virus she said no one had.
"My mom made me get a flu shot," she said. "I hate shots, they really hurt, but she forced me."
Keely was also awarded for her efforts.
"Wal-Mart gave me a plastic pumpkin filled with candy. My older sister has braces now, so she won't be able to eat any of it," she said, smiling.
Keely's poster will now go on display "where her Uncle Jay works" at Wal-Mart. Other students' posters will be hung there as well, and on display in local grocery stores.
***
Preventive measures to stop the spread of the flu appear to be having some success in the workplace.
So far at least, the flu has not caused any disruption for the county's two prisons, according to Randy Teague, Marion Correctional Institution's programs director.
"Not yet, at least. We have yet to see a negative impact from H1N1," said Teague. "We have taken what we feel are adequate steps to protect staff, inmates and the public from spreading the illness."
He said those steps included the oft seen ones, like making hand sanitizer readily available. But the best preventative measure, he believed, was education.
"We emphasize hand washing, and strongly emphasize social distancing," he stated, as a means of preventing the spread of disease among almost 2,000 men in close quarters, along with staff of around 400.
If the flu became widespread, he added, it could necessitate changes in visitation schedules and policies.
"We are prepared to do that if we need to."
There have been a few staff sick, he concluded, but not in numbers that would cause the prisons to run on short staff or have to call in substitutes.
"We haven't had to rob Peter to write Paul a bad check," he said.
Baldor employs 100 workers, and Human Resources Manager Will Culbreath said the company was able to get in a flu shot clinic as soon as the hospital had the vaccine available.
"We have only had one miss a few days," he said. "We do a flu shot clinic every year, and this year we had a much higher participation rate than normal."
The Baldor management conducts safety meetings at the start of each shift and for this season, hand washing and covering sneezes and coughs have been high on the agenda, he added.
"We tell our people, if you feel sick don't come share it with us."
***
Local churches that celebrate the Holy Eucharist are addressing concerns from their parishioners about the H1N1 flu virus, commonly known as swine flu.
As the H1N1 flu virus continues to sicken people and deaths attributed to the virus rise, some religious denominations are taking extra sanitary precautions and keeping watchful. That is especially true for denominations that celebrate the Eucharist by drinking consecrated wine with a common cup. These include the Roman Catholic and Episcopal churches.
The Rev. Gnanapragasam Mariasoosai is the pastor for Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church on Fleming Avenue in Marion. He said Wednesday that the parish council of Our Lady of the Angels would hold a meeting next week to discuss concerns about H1N1 and if any changes should be made regarding the Mass.
"There is a concern," he said. "The decision will be made next week."
In the meantime, the Most Rev. Peter Jugis, bishop of Charlotte, has issued a letter to Catholic parishes in his diocese. Our Lady of the Angels is part of the Diocese of Charlotte.
"Those persons who are sick with the flu should exercise consideration for their fellow parishioners and remain home so as to prevent spread of the virus," reads the bishop's letter.
At one point during the Mass, Catholics hold hands and recite the Lord's Prayer. In his letter, the bishop advises those persons who suspect that they have been exposed to the virus to refrain from holding hands during Mass. "Those persons who suspect they have been exposed to the virus should also refrain from the handshake at the sign of peace, so as not to transmit the flu virus through hand to hand contact," reads the letter. "Those persons whose health would be seriously compromised by contracting the flu virus should also refrain from such hand to hand contact."
Jugis also advises Catholics in his diocese who suspect that they may have been exposed to the H1N1 virus to not drink from the chalice during Holy Communion. If necessary, pastors may suspend altogether the practice of holding hands, the handshake at the sign of peace and drinking from the chalice. All those who distribute Holy Communion should wash their hands before Mass begins. They can also use hand sanitizers, according to the bishop's letter.
A Catholic priest in Richmond, Va. said he suspended the use of the cup and giving the Host on the tongue last Sunday after four parishioners came down with the H1N1 flu virus, commonly known as swine flu, according to a story from Media General News Service.
The Catholic Diocese of Richmond, Va. has put out guidelines for liturgical services but has left it up to individual pastors to decide what to do in their parishes. Several churches have suspended the use of the cup and giving the Sacred Host on the tongue.
The McDowell News attempted unsuccessfully to contact the interim rector of St. John's Episcopal Church in Marion. The Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina has issued a statement to members of the church about H1N1. The statement, based on Centers for Disease Control guidelines, advises Episcopalians to wash their hands frequently, cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue and keep frequently-touched common surfaces clean. Those persons who are at risk should seek early treatment.
***
Local health officials say they have vaccines available for the seasonal flu and the H1N1 flu.
The McDowell County Health Department, located at 140 Spaulding Road, has the seasonal flu injectable vaccines for children ages 6 months through 35 months and children ages 3 years through 18 years. There is also a limited amount of seasonal flu mist (nasal spray) for children ages 2 years through 18 years.
The Health Department has H1N1 injections available for: people ages 6 months through 24 years of age, pregnant women, people who live with or care for infants younger than 6 months of age and health care workers and emergency medical personnel.
There is also a limited amount of H1N1 flu mist available for people ages 2 years through 24 years of age. The H1N1 mist is also available for people ages 25 through 49 years of age who either live with or care for infants younger than 6 months of age. The H1N1 mist is also available for health care workers or emergency medical personnel.
These injections and/or flu mists are given Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Health Department is out of seasonal flu vaccines for adults. Health officials said they are not sure at this time if they will receive any more seasonal flu vaccines.
Please check with your local pharmacies and physician's office to see if they have seasonal flu vaccines and/or H1N1 vaccines or mist.
For more information, call the McDowell County Health Department at 652-6811.