Brief by Central Staff
Public health – January 2004 – Colorado Central Magazine
In Central Colorado, the usual winter infection — fever, sniffles, aches, nausea — is generally called something like “the crud that’s going around.”
But it’s worse than usual this year. Colorado is one of the states most affected by the Fujian strain of influenza. As of our deadline, there were 6,306 confirmed cases — more than 2001 and 2002 combined — and at least eight children had died.
In Park County, the flu was so widespread that all the schools in Fairplay were closed on Nov. 20. Superintendent Charles Soper (who had the flu himself) said absenteeism was above 30% on account of the epidemic, and staff members were suffering, too.
While the 300 students stayed home, district personnel applied disinfectant to everything human hands might touch at Edith Teter Elementary, Silver Heels Middle School, and South Park High School. The idea was to slow the spread.
Public-health officials had urged vaccinations, although the vaccine wouldn’t be perfectly effective because it was designed for the Panama strain, not the Fujian strain that has emerged.
Perhaps their message got across too well, because hospitals and clinics started to run out of vaccine, and manufacturing new supplies takes at least three months, so the new vaccine wouldn’t be available until after flu season.
So on Dec. 5, the state public health department quit recommending that everyone get flu shots. Instead, shots should be limited to those most at risk — babies aged 6 to 23 months, adults 65 and over, and people 2 to 64 in poor health.
On the local front, several of our advertisers were hit by the bug, and Martha was out for several days. Ed woke up one morning sure he had it, with a pounding headache and a queasy stomach, but by nightfall he was his usual obnoxious self.
