ADE Commissioner's Communication Memos

3D"ADE

Printable=20 version of this page

Memo=20 Number : COM-10-046	Date = Created :=20 09/15/2009

Attention: Superintendents Co-op=20 Directors Secondary Principals Elementary = Principals other:=20 School Nurses Special Ed. Supervisors Community Health = Nurse	Type of Memo: =	Administrative
Response Required: =	No=20


Section: = Special=20 Assistant - Dee Cox
Subject: Reporting School=20 Absenteeism from Influenza-Like Illnesses to the AR = Department of=20 Health Regulatory=20 Authority: NONE	Contact = Person: Paula=20 Smith Phone=20 Number: 501-683-3600=20 E-mail: Paula.Smith@arkansas.gov=20

The 2009 H1N1 Flu, = commonly=20 referred to as the Swine Flu, has been classified by the = World=20 Health Organization as pandemic. This flu was identified in = this=20 country in April of 2009 and declared a national public = health=20 emergency only weeks later. The 2009 H1N1 Flu so far has not = been=20 any more severe than the ordinary seasonal flu, which comes = around=20 every fall and winter. However, there are too many = unknowns=20 of what will happen in the next few months. The fear is that = seasonal flu and H1N1 flu will =93double-team=94 the = population and=20 perhaps overwhelm the nation. Flu spreads more easily during = the=20 fall and winter because of the lack of the limited natural = immunity=20 to the H1N1 virus, as well as the H1N1 virus could mutate = and become=20 more serious and more deadly. Absenteeism rates and=20 information from public schools are critical data to the = Arkansas=20 Department of Health (ADH) in an effort to track the = magnitude and=20 severity of the disease in the state. Children tend to = spread the=20 virus quickly. Absenteeism rates not only indicate how many = children=20 are out ill but also how many parents may be missing work to = care=20 for children. In collaboration with ADH, the = Arkansas=20 Department of Education (ADE) is partnering with the ADH to = collect=20 absenteeism information from all schools in the state. ADH = will also=20 be collecting information from hospitals on the number of=20 Influenza-Like Illnesses (ILIs). The combination of this = information=20 is very important to the local community. It will help ADH = ensure=20 that the appropriate resources are in the areas of the state = where=20 the need is the greatest. Effectively at the release = of this=20 memo, each local school should provide absenteeism from=20 Influenza-Like Illnesses to ADH each school day. The school = LEA=20 number can only be used once per day. Log in information=20 instructions are as follows: Website: https://health.arka= nsas.gov/ADHInternetApps/=20 Login=3Duser@schools.com Password =3D SchoolFlu0809 = User=20 name and password are case sensitive, it is recommended that = the=20 information be copied and pasted. Use the SCHOOL LEA = NUMBER=20 as the identifier NOT THE DISTRICT NUMBER. Enter the LEA # = in this=20 format ##-##-### with DASHES in between the numbers as = shown.=20 Example: if the school LEA is 1234567, please enter = 12-34-567.=20 If there are any questions please call Haytham Safi, MD, = MPH,=20 Senior Epidemiologist, Communicable Diseases/Immunizations, = Arkansas=20 Department of Health at 501-661-2920 or email:=20 Haytham.safi@arkansas.gov

Attachments: = None