Norovirus hits ISD hard, Celina Record

Parents take to social media as norovirus hits Celina ISD Lisa Ferguson, lferguson@starlocalmedia.com Feb 17, 2016 The highly contagious norovirus swept through Celina Elementary School last week and prompted parents to keep children home from schools throughout Celina ISD as a preventative measure. An outbreak of the highly contagious norovirus hit the Celina Independent School District hard last week. The district sent a notice home Feb. 11 with students that detailed the outbreak, which made numerous students and at least a dozen staff members ill last week at Celina Elementary School. The information was also posted on Celina ISD’s website and social media outlets. Norovirus is characterized by symptoms including nausea, vomiting, watery diarrhea, headaches and abdominal pain, as well as lethargy, weakness, muscle aches and a low-grade fever. The virus usually runs its course within two to three days from the onset without the threat of severe illness. Social media sites were abuzz Feb. 12 with concerned parents posting about how the illness had impacted their children and families. Many said they opted to keep their children home from schools throughout the district that day in an effort to shield them from exposure to the virus. Shannon Owens was one of those parents. Her 7-year-old son, Sean Owens, had been sent home from the elementary school on Feb. 11 after complaining of stomach pain and registering a low-grade fever. She said school office workers told her that the virus had been “hitting (the school’s) second-grade wing horribly.” Owens said her son experienced diarrhea and a lack of appetite. He did not attend school on Feb. 12. She also kept her daughter, Celina High School freshman Elizabeth Warren, home from school that day over concerns that the teen might catch the virus. Celina ISD spokeswoman Jill Roza confirmed that on Feb. 12, there were 100 students absent at the elementary school and 207 absent districtwide. It is not known how many of those students were absent because they were ill from the virus or were kept home from school by parents as a precautionary measure. “We did have quite a few parents that erred on the safe side and decided to keep their children at home so that they wouldn’t be exposed to any virus,” Roza said. This week, she said 40 students were absent from Celina Elementary School on Tuesday, but district officials did not know how many of those were ill with norovirus. The virus “has floated through the district over the past few weeks,” she said, noting that cases in the secondary schools presented in most students as a severe headache followed by episodes of vomiting and diarrhea. As for the illness’ recent surge among younger students, Roza explained, “The smallest of our Bobcats don’t have the immunity that [older students] have, so it hit them with more of a low-grade fever” before progressing. Due to the infectious nature of the virus, parents were asked to follow Celina ISD health guidelines to determine when students who have been ill with norovirus should return to school. The guidelines state that students who have experienced a diarrheal illness must be free of all episodes for 24 hours without the aid of diarrhea-suppressing medications before they are allowed to return to campus. Similarly, students who have experienced a fever of over 100 degrees must be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications. Students who have experienced two or more episodes of vomiting within a 24-hour period are advised to stay home from school until they are able to tolerate one or two meals without exhibiting vomiting. Dr. Halley Hogan, with Children’s Pediatric Health Group in Celina, said in recent weeks there has been an uptick in the number of norovirus cases she has treated in children – particularly those in elementary through middle-school grades – at the clinic, located at 1060 S. Preston Road. “It’s really hard to get rid of because it spreads between people, but you can also get it from (touching) surfaces, clothes, contaminated food and water. That’s why it’s so hard to get rid of and it passes around easily,” she said. Parents should focus on keeping children hydrated, especially if they are experiencing diarrhea or vomiting. Symptoms of dehydration include a dry tongue and lips, decreased urination and lethargy. “If they have any of those symptoms, I definitely want to see them (in the clinic) because they might need IV fluids at that point,” Hogan explained. She said parents should make sure children consume water as well beverages that replenish the body’s sodium and potassium levels, such as Pedialyte or sports drinks like Gatorade, to help prevent dehydration. That was the protocol Owens said she followed with her son, whose was free of symptoms by Sunday and returned to Celina Elementary on Tuesday. Owens said no one else in her family fell ill with the virus. “We really dodged a bullet on that one.” To prevent the spread of norovirus, Hogan urged parents to enforce proper handwashing practices among all family members. She also recommended thoroughly disinfecting household surfaces. Roza said the elementary school campus received a “thorough cleaning” last weekend as a precautionary measure, with special attention being paid to disinfecting doorknobs, various fixtures and water fountains. It was “very advantageous” that the outbreak occurred prior to a three-day weekend, she said. Since campuses were closed Monday in observance of Presidents’ Day, Roza said that likely afforded staff members and students an opportunity to “rest and be able to recuperate.” Follow the Celina Record on Twitter @celinarecord.