Vaccines arrive for ‘high risk’ patients

CHARLOTTESVILLE — Area schools sent out a schedule for in-school flu vaccination clinics this week, but health officials don’t think they’ll have enough vaccine to meet the schedule.

Flu symptoms kept large groups of Augusta County and Waynesboro students out of school Friday as the illness continued to spread in area schools.

A seventh of the student body, or about 100 students, and a handful of faculty members missed class at Wilson Memorial High School in Fishersville and about 55 missed classes at both Westwood Hills Elementary and Kate Collins Middle schools in Waynesboro, district officials said.

More than 300 Stuarts Draft High School students missed classes this week in what district health officials called an upswing of suspected H1N1 virus cases.

In recent weeks, students across the county missed school, complaining about flu-like symptoms, Augusta County Schools Superintendent Gary McQuain said Thursday.

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RICHMOND — For the first time in as long as state officials can recall, every school district in Virginia is being asked to report daily absenteeism among students and faculty to the state health department in an attempt to track flu patterns better.

RICHMOND — College students are being told to get a “flu buddy” to bring them food if they get sick and can’t leave their dorm rooms. Pregnant women are being urged to be the first in line to get H1N1 swine-flu vaccine. Working parents are anxiously counting their remaining sick days in case they have to stay home with a sick child.

Schools prepare for return of students, threat of swine flu

Augusta Health officials said Tuesday that the hospital has treated six people, all younger than 17 for H1N1, or swine flu, in the last two weeks, but none of those cases has been verified by the state.

7 confirmed with swine flue at Washington and Lee; all cases called mild

Seven of the 11 confirmed cases of swine flu in Virginia involve people at Washington and Lee University in Lexington.

Mexican officials lowered their flu alert level in the capital on Monday and said they will allow cafes, museums and libraries to reopen this week. World health officials weighed raising their pandemic alert to the highest level.

Swine flu causes little alarm in Lexington

The state health commissioner said last night that there are two probable cases of swine flu at Washington and Lee University in Lexington.

“Both students had mild illnesses, both are recovering well and both were suspected early of possibly having” the new virus “and were appropriately treated,“ said Dr. Karen Remley.

RICHMOND — The first confirmed case of swine flu in central Virginia changes the game plan for health officials, but only slightly, said Dr. William R. Nelson, director of the Chesterfield Health District.