Swine flu cases increase

By By Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
An outbreak of H1N1 flu, commonly known as swine flu, took a turn for the worse in the Hartselle School system on Monday.
The number of cases reported totaled 12, or five more than the number logged on Friday.
Hartselle Junior High School had six cases, an increase of four, and Barkley Bridge, Crestline and F.E. Burleson Elementary schools each had two cases. No cases were reported at Barkley Bridge last week and Hartselle High School had three cases.
He said parents of students recovering from swine flu are being asked to keep their children at home until 24 hours after they have stopped having a fever. Other precautionary measures are being taken to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus.
As of Sept. 11, four cases of the flu had been reported in Morgan County schools. None were reported in Lawrence and Limestone counties.
Reed said swine flu vaccine would be given to students, teacher and support personnel as soon as it is made available by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The process will take place in schools and will involve State Health Department personnel and school nurses.
The first shipments of the flu vaccine could go out as early as the first week in October, according to an announcement made by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Monday.