An Update On Common Diseases
Credit to Demi Johnson
Amy Kelly and Heather Martin are nurses at FHN. They have seen a lot of cases of Covid 19 throughout the school year. “So our covid cases have decreased and the month of September so that we have had fewer kiddos reporting positive,” said Keller. With cases going down in the FHN school more kids are missing classes and now Heather Martin says “People are able to come back to school sooner after testing positive for not having to wear a mask the last five days of their 14.
It’s important to be informed and up to date about illnesses going around, especially as it’s getting colder out and the spread of bacteria is increasing because of people being indoors. The diseases below spread easily in these conditions. Here’s a few diseases frequently discussed with their information.
CoronaVirus
CoronaVirus is an infectious respiratory disease, caused by SARS-CoV-2 Virus. This disease spreads by respiratory droplets or aerosols from the mouth or nose that goes out of the infected person’s body in any form, such as talking. The CDC recommends people be up to date on vaccines and to continue social distancing. And if a person may believe to have been infected, wait five days in a high-quality mask before getting tested. The CDC Advisory Committee recommends the Pfizer-BioNTech booster vaccine for people ages 12 or older and the Moderna booster vaccine for people 18 or older. There have been 1.6 million cases in Missouri and 96 million cases in the United States.
Flu
Influenza, or the Flu, is a contagious respiratory disease that affects the nose or the lungs. It causes mild to severe symptoms that suddenly come into effect, caused by respiratory droplets and could spread by close contact. Recommended vaccines are for people of all ages six months or above. This year’s Flu is less severe than usual, partially because of the awareness of being sanitary since the CoronaVirus.
MonkeyPox
Monkeypox is a rare disease that has less intense effects than chickenpox and is rarely fatal. Around 103 people have this disease in Missouri, and around 25,509 people have it in the United States. Monkeypox is spread by physical contact, even a brief moment of a high five could spread it. There are two vaccines available in the U.S. in which people can take, JYNNEOS and ACAM2000. ACAM200 is also used as a smallpox vaccine. The CDC recommends people to be up to date on vaccines. However, the CDC is not recommending vaccinations for the broader public, the vaccines are only recommended to people that are potentially exposed.
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