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American Morning
Protecting Schoolchildren From Flu
Aired December 12, 2003 - 07:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Health officials in the state of Ohio are taking steps now to protect school kids from the virus -- the Finneytown School District closing five schools until Monday.
Superintendent Sam Martin is with us today from Columbus, Ohio. Also today from Cincinnati, Tim Ingram, the Hamilton County health commissioner.
Gentlemen, good morning to both of you.
I want to start with Mr. Martin in Columbus, Ohio. Give us a sense within that school district, how many kids are affected right now?
SAM MARTIN, FINNEYTOWN SCHOOL DISTRICT: Well, it started out we had -- we probably have 30 percent of the kids are affected.
HEMMER: Yes. How are parents reacting right now, knowing you're closing schools for the weekend?
MARTIN: I think they appreciated it a lot. I know that with our substitutes, we weren't able to cover classes. We probably had 12 classes just on the secondarily campus that we weren't able to cover on Wednesday. And so, they appreciated that we -- you know, that we called school off, to give them a chance to recover and...
HEMMER: And to Mr. Ingram right now, is that the best way to fight this right now -- close the schools?
TIM INGRAM, HEALTH COMMISSIONER, HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO: Well, I think that's a decision that the school districts should make. Some of them consult with us. We actually have been seeing a pickup in the flu. It started out to be pretty sporadic across the county and in Ohio, and now it's become more regional.
HEMMER: Yes, how much of this is an overreaction do you think, Mr. Ingram?
INGRAM: Well, people are concerned. And weve been -- our clinics are full. We've been giving about 250 vaccinations per clinic, and weve been handling 200 calls a day. I don't think people should become super-alarmed, because, in fact, there are a lot of things they can do to help reduce their risk to influenza.
HEMMER: Yes, if you read the headlines in your newspaper, you see it on national news, are we contributing to this? INGRAM: Well, obviously, anytime the media continues to cover a story, a lot of people watch, and it does have an impact, both with positive messages and otherwise. But nonetheless, there are things people can do, and obviously getting vaccinated is one thing people can do to help...
(CROSSTALK)
HEMMER: But many are calling this an epidemic. These are the numbers I found earlier today. A year ago in Ohio, 826 cases reported; this year, 1,036 -- an increase of about 210. Significant, but is that by stretch here an epidemic, do you consider?
INGRAM: Well, we do have an outbreak of flu occurring, and it is early. We're seeing more cases this year earlier than we did this time last year. And as a matter of fact, we have more people vaccinated this time than ever before compared to last years that we've done flu shots.
HEMMER: Yes, back to Sam Martin in Columbus. What's your advice to parents and kids watching this today?
MARTIN: Well, I'd just watch the kids -- that's what we tell them -- and not take any chances. We're hoping that, you know, giving a four-day weekend for them that everybody will be able to get back on their feet and be back on Monday.
HEMMER: Well, thank you. And best of luck to you.
MARTIN: Thank you.
HEMMER: Sam Martin and Tim Ingram back in the state of Ohio -- Columbus and Cincinnati, respectively. Thank you, gentlemen.
Reality check today now about the nationwide flu outbreak. Our resident expert on this matter, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
Nice to see you. Good morning.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
HEMMER: Up early with us.
GUPTA: Yes.
HEMMER: Overstated or not right now?
GUPTA: Well, you know, do this for me: Take the word flu out of this, for example, and if you say that there's something that's filling our hospitals, shortening our vaccine supply, has killed about 20 children and it's peaked in about 24 states, double the number of last year at this time, people would be very concerned about it. If you add the word flu to it, and people aren't as concerned about it, because, as you said, Bill, the numbers aren't really that much higher. They are higher than last year -- everyone agrees with that -- but not maybe that significantly so. Do you make a big deal about things like monkey pox? Maybe even SARS? Perhaps. I think people are paying attention to the flu, and that's not a bad thing -- 36,000 people died of this in the '90s, and maybe a little bit more this year.
HEMMER: And ultimately, when you look at the dwindling supply, it raises a lot of questions.
GUPTA: That's right.
HEMMER: Thank you, Sanjay.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired December 12, 2003 - 07:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Health officials in the state of Ohio are taking steps now to protect school kids from the virus -- the Finneytown School District closing five schools until Monday.
Superintendent Sam Martin is with us today from Columbus, Ohio. Also today from Cincinnati, Tim Ingram, the Hamilton County health commissioner.
Gentlemen, good morning to both of you.
I want to start with Mr. Martin in Columbus, Ohio. Give us a sense within that school district, how many kids are affected right now?
SAM MARTIN, FINNEYTOWN SCHOOL DISTRICT: Well, it started out we had -- we probably have 30 percent of the kids are affected.
HEMMER: Yes. How are parents reacting right now, knowing you're closing schools for the weekend?
MARTIN: I think they appreciated it a lot. I know that with our substitutes, we weren't able to cover classes. We probably had 12 classes just on the secondarily campus that we weren't able to cover on Wednesday. And so, they appreciated that we -- you know, that we called school off, to give them a chance to recover and...
HEMMER: And to Mr. Ingram right now, is that the best way to fight this right now -- close the schools?
TIM INGRAM, HEALTH COMMISSIONER, HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO: Well, I think that's a decision that the school districts should make. Some of them consult with us. We actually have been seeing a pickup in the flu. It started out to be pretty sporadic across the county and in Ohio, and now it's become more regional.
HEMMER: Yes, how much of this is an overreaction do you think, Mr. Ingram?
INGRAM: Well, people are concerned. And weve been -- our clinics are full. We've been giving about 250 vaccinations per clinic, and weve been handling 200 calls a day. I don't think people should become super-alarmed, because, in fact, there are a lot of things they can do to help reduce their risk to influenza.
HEMMER: Yes, if you read the headlines in your newspaper, you see it on national news, are we contributing to this? INGRAM: Well, obviously, anytime the media continues to cover a story, a lot of people watch, and it does have an impact, both with positive messages and otherwise. But nonetheless, there are things people can do, and obviously getting vaccinated is one thing people can do to help...
(CROSSTALK)
HEMMER: But many are calling this an epidemic. These are the numbers I found earlier today. A year ago in Ohio, 826 cases reported; this year, 1,036 -- an increase of about 210. Significant, but is that by stretch here an epidemic, do you consider?
INGRAM: Well, we do have an outbreak of flu occurring, and it is early. We're seeing more cases this year earlier than we did this time last year. And as a matter of fact, we have more people vaccinated this time than ever before compared to last years that we've done flu shots.
HEMMER: Yes, back to Sam Martin in Columbus. What's your advice to parents and kids watching this today?
MARTIN: Well, I'd just watch the kids -- that's what we tell them -- and not take any chances. We're hoping that, you know, giving a four-day weekend for them that everybody will be able to get back on their feet and be back on Monday.
HEMMER: Well, thank you. And best of luck to you.
MARTIN: Thank you.
HEMMER: Sam Martin and Tim Ingram back in the state of Ohio -- Columbus and Cincinnati, respectively. Thank you, gentlemen.
Reality check today now about the nationwide flu outbreak. Our resident expert on this matter, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
Nice to see you. Good morning.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
HEMMER: Up early with us.
GUPTA: Yes.
HEMMER: Overstated or not right now?
GUPTA: Well, you know, do this for me: Take the word flu out of this, for example, and if you say that there's something that's filling our hospitals, shortening our vaccine supply, has killed about 20 children and it's peaked in about 24 states, double the number of last year at this time, people would be very concerned about it. If you add the word flu to it, and people aren't as concerned about it, because, as you said, Bill, the numbers aren't really that much higher. They are higher than last year -- everyone agrees with that -- but not maybe that significantly so. Do you make a big deal about things like monkey pox? Maybe even SARS? Perhaps. I think people are paying attention to the flu, and that's not a bad thing -- 36,000 people died of this in the '90s, and maybe a little bit more this year.
HEMMER: And ultimately, when you look at the dwindling supply, it raises a lot of questions.
GUPTA: That's right.
HEMMER: Thank you, Sanjay.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
