The Public Health Division of the Guilford County Department of Health and Human Services, along with Guilford County Schools, put out a press release on Monday night, Dec. 4 announcing that county health officials are investigating a case of Tuberculosis involving someone at Ragsdale High School.
The press release didn’t state if the person was a student, teacher or administrator at the school in Jamestown.
Guilford County Public Health Director Dr. Iulia Vann noted that testing protocols are being followed.
“Though there is no immediate public health risk from this case,” Vann stated, “we have informed staff, parents, and guardians of students who need to be tested to ensure any potential exposure to TB is identified.”
According to Vann, county health officials were notified on Friday, Dec. 1 of the case – and Ragsdale High School parents, guardians and staff were notified that there was an investigation of the case of the respiratory disease, which generally develops over weeks to months. The disease spreads much like colds and the flu, however, they state, it is “not as contagious and is completely curable with medication.”
The statement notes that school and county health officials are working together to identify possible exposures. The health department is providing tuberculous testing at no cost at Ragsdale. Anyone who has a positive test will be offered medication and treatment, also at no cost.
County health officials said that post-exposure treatment can prevent the development of TB.
The press release states “While the community needs to be aware of the case investigation, no one is at immediate risk of health problems related to this case and there is no further risk of exposure. Regardless of exposure, there is no need to limit activities.”
With the invasion of our country by 5 millions of illegal aliens from about 160 different countries, many with diseases including tuberculosis, it is no surprise that TB is showing up here in the hinterland. Let’s hope it is not one of the antibiotic resistant strains.
In a more enlightened time, immigrants were screened for communicable diseases and when they were suspected, the immigrant was quarantined.
So, insisting immigrants be screened for criminal records and communicable diseases is inhumane and xenophobic; my, how far we have advanced or should I say “progressed”.
I thought that students were required to be vaccinated against certain communicable diseases such as TB in order to attend public school in Guilford county. Did that change? I remember having to show my shot records for certain overnight camps, etc.
TB is long not an issue so not a required vax these days.
I don’t recall there being a vaccine for TB. I know I had to get tested for TB when I worked in a daycare. My two that are still in school have never been tested for TB. There are certain vaccines that they have to have and keep current on but TB isn’t one of them. Whether teachers and other staff have to be tested or not I am not sure of.