|
September
8, 2005
Little
Rock -- The Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services is receiving inquiries from the public concerning Arkansas children that might be attending school with evacuees from other states. Parents are worried about immunizations and the spread of infectious disease.
Dr. Joe Thompson, Arkansas Chief Health Officer, states, “Certainly, we can understand how parents might be concerned about the spread of infectious disease. However, the risk is extremely low. These children were in schools in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi and were required to be immunized by their school systems, similar to Arkansas schools. All require immunization against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, rubella, mumps and chickenpox.
The primary health threat to evacuees is from being injured and exposed to floodwaters, and tetanus is not spread through human contact. Additionally, infectious disease control measures are being implemented in shelters/camps across the state.”
Due to the low incidence of disease, hepatitis A vaccine is not required for school attendance in Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi or Louisiana. Hepatitis A disease in disaster-affected areas has been historically low, but vaccine is being recommended for evacuees in shelters as a precautionary measure. Volunteers and health care workers in the shelters/camps are not at greater risk because they routinely practice infectious disease control measures.
Good hygiene, which includes frequent hand washing after restroom visits and before handling food, is the most effective way to avoid spreading infectious diseases.
Arkansas is working with Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi to obtain immunization records of children attending schools in the state. Children from other states will be able to obtain immunizations to keep their records current.
###
|
