Concerns over Enterovirus linger

Eilleen Wisniowicz, Staff Writer

Enterovirus D-68 – What You Need to Know
By: Eileen Wisniowicz

Enterovirus D-68 is a serious disease that is spreading in children throughout schools. The children who are at the most risk of receiving this disease are children under the age of 5, although it is found in children of all ages. Symptoms are more severe in kids with asthma or other respiratory problems.

The symptoms of this virus are mainly severe headaches, joint pains, wheezing and shortness of breath, low grade fever, low blood pressure to name a few. A reporter from www.cnn.com interviewed, Doctor Jeff Duchin, who is the Chief of Communicable Disease and Epidemiology at Public Health, and he advised that in order to reduce the risk of receiving the disease, “parents should watch their child’s breathing to make sure it is under control, and to see a healthcare provider if asthma symptoms worsens or change.”

Doctor Duchin also said, “The following precautions should, also, be taken seriously – wash hands frequently for 20 seconds with soap and water, avoid contact with people that are sick, not go out to public places if feeling ill, and avoid any direct contact with people such as hugging, shaking hands, or sharing food with ill people or if you are ill”. Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent Enterovirus D-68 and there is no drug to attack it. The virus can be treated with over-the-counter medications although it is not the most effective. For more serious cases of Enterovirus doctors use Albuterol and supplemental oxygen.

The virus was first identified in California in 1962, and since then, cases have been identified all over the world as the virus continues to spread. The virus spreads through direct contact which includes handshakes, hugs and sharing drinks. The virus also can be spread, however, through the air as it is propelled by coughs and sneezes. The best protection against Enterovirus D-68 is regular hand washing, appropriate disinfecting, and teaching kids how to cough and sneeze into their elbows so their germs don’t spread. As for how long the virus will last, it is uncertain. Seeing that this is a yearly virus, and it does tend to pop up in late summer and early fall since that is the peak season for the virus to spread, the only problem is that this year the outbreak of this disease has spread faster and farther than the previous times Enterovirus has spread, so it is hard to predict exactly how long it might last.

As for the safety of this virus at Nazareth Academy, “There have been no cases of the Enterovirus at Nazareth,” says Mrs. Tracy, principal of Nazareth Academy. Mrs. Tracy also said that while precautions such as cleaning the locker rooms, bathrooms, and the academy in general are not specifically meant to fight the Enterovirus. There are precautions to fight any virus such as Mononucleosis, (Mono) and other virus like the Enterovirus, and therefore, help prevent Enterovirus. Along with a cleaning crew coming in constantly, Nazareth also has an on campus cleaning person, throughout the school day, in order to clean up if a student was to get sick.”

While this virus might not seem too serious, especially if one does not have asthma or any other respiratory health issues, it still can affect anyone. It causes breathing problems and can be deadly if not taken seriously. If a person has the symptoms of Enterovirus D-68, they should go to the doctor as soon as possible so they can get help before it is too late. However, instead of letting the virus spread we should focus on stopping it by staying healthy. Though the media has pulled back on its sensational coverage of the illness, it is still vital for people to take the necessary steps to remain healthy, especially during this time of year.