Enterovirus D68

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa may be dominating the headlines, but it’s enterovirus D68 that poses a more immediate risk for teachers and students. While severe cases of the virus are rare, it has since mid-August led to the hospitalization of children across the country, including on Long Island and in New York City.

With flu season upon us, it is critical that educators familiarize themselves with the enterovirus and its symptoms and follow common-sense precautions at home and in school in order to prevent more children from becoming ill.

Enterovirus D68, or EV-D68, is one of more than 100 nonpolio enteroviruses. People infected with EV-D68 can experience mild to severe respiratory illness. Mild symptoms include fever, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, and body and muscle aches. Severe symptoms include wheezing and difficulty breathing.

It is critical that you watch for these symptoms of EV-D68 and other signs of respiratory distress experienced by any of your students and immediately inform the parents of any child you suspect may be ill. Infants, children and teenagers are most likely to be infected, and children with asthma are most likely to experience breathing problems if infected.

Fortunately, it is easy to prevent the spread of EV-D68 by following simple, common-sense precautions and encouraging your students to do the same:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact such as kissing, hugging and sharing cups or eating utensils.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or shirt sleeve, not your hands.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as doorknobs.
• Stay home when you are sick.

If each of us follows these simple guidelines, we will be able to protect ourselves, our families, our colleagues and our students.

Ebola

Although there was only one confirmed case of Ebola virus disease in New York City at the time the New York Teacher went to press, and experts believe it is highly unlikely that there will be a serious outbreak of the disease here, it is still important that each of us familiarize ourselves with the early signs that a student or colleague may have been exposed to it.

The most common early symptoms of Ebola include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Muscle pain
• Weakness
• Headache
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain

It is important that you monitor the children under your care for these symptoms, especially those who have traveled to West Africa within three weeks prior to the onset of symptoms or may have been in contact with others who traveled to West Africa within three weeks prior to the onset of symptoms. This is because the incubation period for Ebola is two to 21 days. A person who does not become sick within 21 days of potential exposure does not have the disease. In most cases, mild symptoms such as fever or chills are attributable to another illness, most likely the flu or common cold.

Despite what you may have heard, Ebola is not highly contagious. Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids — primarily vomit, feces or blood — of an infected and symptomatic individual. Ebola is not airborne; you cannot contract it without direct contact with an infected person’s bodily fluids.

Precautions to protect yourself, your students, your friends and your family from Ebola are similar to those for EV-D68 and the flu. You should also avoid direct contact with the bodily fluids of others.

The chances that any of us will be exposed to Ebola are extremely slim. The precautions provided above are common-sense measures that each of us should already be following to prevent the spread of far more common illnesses like the flu or the common cold. If we all follow these guidelines, we will create happier, healthier schools and school communities.

For more information, go to the website of the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.