Gunilla Persson, assistant infectious disease doctor at Region Västerbotten. There were only seven cases of Covid reported in Västerbotten last week, however the cases of flu increased both nationally and in Västerbotten, she says.
Parents with small children have suffered from illness in great numbers in February which has led to costly periods of staying home from work to look after sick children. In Swedish this is called “vård av barn” which is shortened to VAB. The levels of these illnesses are usually the highest in February which has given rise to the term ‘vabruary’ as a lot of parents spend the month looking after sick children and often falling ill themselves.
Last week the cases of influenza increased all over the country and in Västerbotten reported cases rose to 47. According to assistant infectious disease doctor Gunilla Persson at Region Västerbotten it looks like the increase will continue the next few weeks.
– We have not hit the peak yet, she says.
The number of cases of RS virus increased last week to 20 cases, of which five were children under the age of four. Persson encourages parents to protect their infants by staying away from people with colds.
– It may be difficult when you have siblings who go to nursery school but you can try to avoid crowds, she says.
Norran meets Frida Nordkvist who is the mother of a 2-year old and a 4-year old. Both are healthy and in nursery school today but the family has been hit hard by illness in February.
– It's extra tough when you have two children. The younger one brings all the diseases home and then we all take turns being sick, Frida says.
It has included everything from inflammation of the ears to high fevers and coughs.
– It's hard right now. You long for spring when they get to stay healthy more, you get so tired yourself. But we try to think about how it will get better, vent to each other and have a baby-sitter sometimes when they are healthy so that we can get some rest.
Wilma Magnusson, 6 years old, has managed to stay healthy throughout February. “It's probably mostly down to luck”, says her mother Frida Magnusson.
Fanny Enamorado is the mother of 4-year old Matteo. Fanny works at the hospital and her experience is that there is a lot of disease going around for both children and adults.
– Thank goodness we have been fairly healthy and the times when Matteo has been ill, I have been off work thankfully.
She is a single parent and tries to stave off illness by for example drinking vitamin C soups and ginger tea. Staying home from work is costly.
– Of course I do everything to look after my children. But staying home from work is expensive. Staying home costs me SEK 6,000 and I only get 3,000 back.
Amos Pettersen is ten month's old and his mother Anna is on maternal leave to be home with him. “We have been lucky to be spared from a lot of this due to Amos not having started going to nursery school yet”, says Anna.
Anna Pettersen is on maternity leave with her son Amos, ten months. Anna says that they have been been lucky to not get ill so much thanks to Amos not having started nursery school yet. It is an advantage to be on parental leave and not have to ‘vabba’.
– We can take it as it comes. We are usually out doing activities but have been lucky to not get ill anyway, says Anna.
The national epidemic of norovirus has also kicked off but the number of confirmed cases at the beginning of 2025 has been lower than previous years. Nursery school children shall stay at home for 48 hours after they have stopped vomiting or having diarrhoea. What applies in general is that if they children are ill and do not have the energy to be at nursery school, they shall stay at home and can come back when they are well enough.
The infectious disease doctor Gunilla Persson says that now is the time to think carefully about your actions.
– One must remember that we are in a period of many infections. Those who are ill must stay away from sensitive groups and show consideration, she says.
GUIDELINES
When should the child stay home from nursery school:
- In the case of fever: The child should not run a temperature for at least 24 hours (without antipyretic medicine) before going back.
- In the case of tiredness: Stay at home with the child when it is so tired that they cannot join in with regular activities at nursery school, for example when the child has been unable to sleep due to coughing.
- In the case of diarrhoea and/or vomiting: Stay at home until the child has not thrown up or had watery diarrhoea for at least 48 hours and can eat normally.
- In the case of other contagious diseases such as swine pox/chicken pox: Stay at home until the wounds/pustules have dried out.
In the case of antibiotic treatments: Stay at home until the general condition is good, the child does not have a fever and the treatment has been ongoing for at least two days. Antibiotics and other temporary medicine in administered by the legal guardians.
Source: Region Västerbotten