Lord- Coronavirus drama

[MHDNURSE]

A teacher at a school in my district was just at a conference in SF and went home "feeling ill". Never mind that the school nurse just checked him- he is afebrile, no respiratory symptoms, no sore throat- just "feels ill". He proceeded to tell anyone and everyone as he exited the building that he was at a conference in SF and going home sick with possible coronavirus. ? Seriously the man should be fired for stupidity. Mass pandemonium and panic now...

[nmr79]

9 minutes ago, SaltineQueen said:

You've got confirmed cases around Chicago? I guess I should pay more attention to where it is in the states.

Yep- two were early on (Jan.- both recovered, one had been in Wuhan and the other was her husband). Two more happened last week, and they just admitted a possible 5th to a hospital in the city.

[SandIsMyGlitterRN, BSN, RN]

Here is my concern....the symptoms sound like any other respiratory illness. How do we decide who needs to be tested now? In the beginning it was noted to only test if they have traveled. Now, with cases not travel related, who should we be concerned with? I am not freaking out but want to know to be on top of it if (and when) it shows up.

[tining, BSN, RN]

I think travel related will fall to the side once this ramps up with community exposure.

I am concerned about Spring break and feel like we need a questionnaire for travel during that time.

[Cas1in72]

3 minutes ago, Nurse Jen said:

Here is my concern....the symptoms sound like any other respiratory illness. How do we decide who needs to be tested now? In the beginning it was noted to only test if they have traveled. Now, with cases not travel related, who should we be concerned with? I am not freaking out but want to know to be on top of it if (and when) it shows up.

Agree, Jen. I'm especially concerned because I am still seeing a lot of Flu B in my area. I am in k-5. What is the differential assessment on this? Going to a conference a local hospital is putting on tomorrow and believe me, if it isn't brought up, I'm asking. Already having teachers all over me about sending kids home as soon as they complain of anything. UGH. Keeping everyone, patients, first responders, medical people in my thoughts right now<3

[tining, BSN, RN]

Fever, cough & shortness of breath is the word from CDC.

[Cas1in72]

Just now, tining said:

Fever, cough & shortness of breath is the word from CDC.

Which is exactly what I'm seeing with the Flu around here. The shortness of breath, not so much, but have had issues. Had a lot of cases of pneumonia this year, probably more this year than I have in all of my previous years combined.

[SandIsMyGlitterRN, BSN, RN]

16 minutes ago, Cas1in72 said:

Agree, Jen. I'm especially concerned because I am still seeing a lot of Flu B in my area. I am in k-5. What is the differential assessment on this? Going to a conference a local hospital is putting on tomorrow and believe me, if it isn't brought up, I'm asking. Already having teachers all over me about sending kids home as soon as they complain of anything. UGH. Keeping everyone, patients, first responders, medical people in my thoughts right now<3

Please share any info that you learn at the conference with us that would help us evaluate our kiddos and also help keep the hysteria at a minimum. Interested to see what they say?

[Cas1in72]

4 minutes ago, Nurse Jen said:

Please share any info that you learn at the conference with us that would help us evaluate our kiddos and also help keep the hysteria at a minimum. Interested to see what they say?

Absolutely.

[SchoolNurse91, BSN, RN]

20 hours ago, ruby_jane said:

It's all fun and games until it's real. When I worked TB we actually had a teacher with active TB and despite everyone's best confidentiality efforts, a news reporter tracked him down "to hear his side of the story." Your teacher better hope it's the flu....

I had a student with a cough going around telling everyone he had TB. I called the TB clinic at the HD. I thought, "Man, he won't ever joke about this again!"

Kid had active TB and had been in school for a few months.

[cardsFNP]

For those worried about when you should suspect vs not, there is 3 different combinations that meet criteria to be a person under investigation (PUI) from the CDC, simplified:

1. Symptomatic (febrile, cough, SOB) AND recent contact with a CONFIRMED case of covid-19.

2. Symptomatic (febrile, cough, SOB) AND recent travel to SPECIFIC areas affected (China, Italy, etc).

3. SEVERELY symptomatic (hospitalization level fever, cough, SOB) and other things have been r/o (I.e. flu)

For those school nurses, if they're coming to you, they're obviously not #3. The first two are pretty specific. You can tell parents that their kids do not meet criteria to be a PUI.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/clinical-criteria.html

[nursex23, BSN, RN]

I would have stopped that teacher dead in his tracks and told him to stop saying that. I would have told him too, "even if you had more serious symptoms, you need to not be saying that."

I feel BLESSED that the teachers at my school are not freaking out over the Coronavirus. I'm also in the Chicagoland area where a few cases have been reported and some students are freaking out a little but their teachers are educating them with info from the CDC. It's honestly one big joke at my school right now. Just this morning I saw a student sneeze and his friends said "keep your coronavirus to yourself!"

Hopefully it stays this light and we can put this all behind us soon.

[BeckyESRN]

My asthmatic 8 year old: coughs "Oh man, I think I have the Coronavirus"

Me: 2 things: you don't and don't say that at school...ever

Apparently Coronavirus was the talk of the 2nd grade lunch table on Tuesday.