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The CDC has been reporting annually on the burden of influenza, and recommending vaccination options and reviewing use of antiviral agents. Included here is a brief summary of issues of most relevance to schools. Influenza A and B are two types of viruses that cause epidemic human disease. The viruses are spread from person to person primarily through coughing and sneezing. Most incubation periods are between 1-4 days. Adults are infectious from the day before the symptoms begin. Young children can be infectious for up to 6 days before onset of illness. There is abrupt onset of symptoms such as fever, myalgia (muscle aches), headache, severe malaise, nonproductive cough, sore throat, and rhinitis. Children also may get ear infections, nausea and vomiting. The vaccine is made specifically each year from viruses that are likely to cause disease that year. Viruses are grown in eggs, inactivated (made noninfectious), and then preserved with small amounts of mercury-containing thimerosal. Both standard fluoridated community group also had preventive and/or diagnostic care (837 services) than the group with fluoride and dental care (677 services). Nearly half (47%) of the total costs were attributed to restorative procedures, with 77% of the restorative claims costs for children in non-fluoridated community. Claims for diagnostic and preventive services were also higher for children from the nonfluoridated community. The fluoridated community group had more preventive visits than diagnostic or restorative care. Fluoridation and local access to dental services made a difference in the children's oral health status and care needs. The authors recommended that schools help recruit dentists to rural areas, persuade dentists to accept patients with subsidized insurance, promote fluoridation, address transportation in isolated areas, provide oral health education and encourage families to enroll in SCHIP. (Moon Z et al. J Sch Health 2003;73(6):242-244) Comment: You may
also need external partners to track and evaluate care visits, service
types, and costs, but local findings can contribute factual information Contributed by:
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