Flu fears limit contact at high school games

CRANSTON, R.I.—Cranston high school athletic director Mike Traficiante said Thursday that because of H1N1 flu concerns, teams are limiting the amount of contact players have with other players, including high fives.

“I know in field hockey they are no longer slapping hands, they are touching sticks at the end of the game. I noticed in football last week when we played Pilgrim High School, we bumped elbows. Is it common sense? Yes. It’s it going to help? I don’t think it’s going to hurt so we do it,“ Traficante said.

Last week, half of the boys soccer team at Cranston High School West, was out sick. This week at football practice, 1 in 4 players were at home and not on the field. It’s unclear how many students, if any, were out with H1N1.

Traficante said students shouldn’t tough it out and play. They should stay home.

“Don’t feel intimidated by the coach to take a couple of days off. Go home and recoup and try and fight the flu instead of coming to practice, grinding it out and spreading it,“ he said.

“One of the ways that the flu spreads is by touching something that already has the germs on it and then touching your own eyes or mouth or nose,“ said Rhode Island Department of Health spokeswoman Annemarie Beardsworth.

Coaches before and after practices are reinforcing players to use common sense.

“Germs spread easily. Even like a hug is bad,“ said Cranston West senior Erika Santoro.

“There’s a lot of Purell things around the school, so we do that before lunch,“ said Cranston West senior Torie Okolowitzc.

When the H1N1 flu vaccine starts to become available in November, anyone under the age of 24 and pregnant women will be given priority.